Insomniatic Insanity
by Nomannic
Summary: I don't know how or why, but I'm losing things... I came from a different world, and I miss the family I don't remember... and I have 'flashbacks' of things that never happened... And now I can't decide which brother I love. Kankuro/OC/Gaara.
1. Discovery

**AN: Allright, here is the first installment of my story, insomniatic insanity! Yes, I know it's a crappy title.**

**Kairi: So why not come up with a better one?**

**Kankuro: She doesn't have to if she doesn't want too, Kairi.**

**Kairi: Just shut up, Kankuro.**

**Kankuro: make me.**

**AN: Um... okay, let's leave those two alone to fight it off. Hopefully they won't kill eachother. Anyways, I want to thank you for reading this story. The first chapters a little rough and confusing, but I based the character off of me. She's about sixteen years old, and this is a bit AU. It's not along any storyline, Gaara is Kazekage, and as far as I know, no one is actually dead yet.**

**SO R&R AND ENJOY!!**

**Chapter One: Discovery**

I rammed a fist at my opponent, a kid at my school who had threatened to kill Exene. He punched me in the gut before I could make contact, and it made me keel over his fist with the force, and he slammed another fist into the back of my head.

Then everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I wondered if that hit to the head had finally driven me insane.

I was in the middle of a desert.

I blinked, and took off my jacket, throwing it away. I took off my jeans, thankfull I had worn my boxers over my underwear, and took off my shirt. I then laid on my back in the sand that warmed my skin, and closed my eyes.

If this was insanity I liked it.

I didn't open my eyes when I heard a sound, but when I heard a voice outside of my head, I realized I really was insane. Because I recognized that voice in two ways, because it was close to both voices, the one that followed me everywhere, and the one that was in an anime.

"She isn't dead." The voice said coldly, I smiled.

"No... But it's strange; I always pictured insanity being a lonely road."

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Asked a female voice. I furrowed my brow, opened my eyes, sat up, and then fell back over in shock. Hell no.

It was the latter.

"Are you allright?" Asked a male voice that was right beside my ear. I jumped, instinctively turning to throw a punch in that direction, but my fist was caught. "Yeah, you're allright... feisty lil' thing aren't you?"

"I suppose so, but you would know, wouldn't you, Kankuro Subaku-kun?" He blinked.

"How do you know my name?"

"I read it in a manga." I replied simply, smiling up at him.

"Yep... you're insane allright." He said slowly. I nodded, and stood up.

"Do you mind if I accompany you to Suna? I'm on the verge of a panic attack."

"Why?" Asked Gaara, the first voice I had heard.

"Because I'm talking to anime characters in a dessert. It's like I got sucked into the Naruto Realm."

"Well, for one, we're real, not from an anime, and two, if we weren't, why the hell would it be named after that dork?!" Temari snapped. Hm... funny, I never saw her as the rude type. Ah well, fanfictions are never quite right.

"Temari-san..." Gaara warned. I sighed. I mean, after all; haven't I wanted to do something like this for years? Might as well make the best of it.

"I apologize if I was rude, Kazekage-samma," I said politely, bowing to Gaara. I blinked, I had an asian accent and I could understand them! Yes! Gaara nodded.

"Do whatever you want," he grumbled, and continued walking. I fell into step beside Kankuro.

"So what's your name...?" He ventured. I froze, then looked at the ground.

"Birth name or what everyones called me for years?"

"Both, why not?"

"Kairi Elisabeth Sacrow is my birth name. Everyone calls me Kairi Mimichi."

"Nice to meet you, Mimichi-san."

"Call me Kairi."

"Allright, Kairi-san. So what were you doing in the desert?"

"Taking a nap. I thought I was insane," I shrugged.

"Wouldn't that be hell?"

"Nope. I thought it was peacefull. Look, I didn't even get sunburned!" Kankuro laughed and we eventually made it to Suna. I gaped at the city, it was so beautiful.

"Like what you see?" Kankuro asked.

"It's beautiful... but, um, I have no place to stay, no money, no family, and not very many skills except martial arts."

"You can stay with us!!" Kankuro immediately offered. I smiled. "And if you're any good, you can become a kunoichi!" my eyes went wide and I nodded, like a child getting their christmas present.

"Mimichi-san, Kankuro, come on." Gaara grumbled, and me and Kankuro hurried up after the readhead.


	2. Let the games begin

**AN: Thank you for making it this far with me all my wonderous fans! For Trickster readers, just know that after this chapter I will finish the next chapter of that story. But for this, a pre warning, several perverse thoughts will be going through our OC's mind... also, can anyone tell me what a 'Mary Sue' is? Allright, that would be helpfull, because people seem to dislike that, and I don't want that. **

**Anyways, since I forgot it last chapter, Kankuro-koi, will you do the honors?**

**Kankuro: Sure... only if you stop calling me that.**

**Kairi: AWWW!! Kankuro's got a fangirl!**

**Kankuro: Shut up! You're just jealous!**

**Kairi: No... I've got Gaara-koi.**

**Gaara: Did you just call me 'koi'?**

**Um... I think they're busy, so, I will!**

**Jiraiya: Drunken Chipmunks does not own anything mentioned within this story, or the makers of cheerios. and Kairi is all mine.**

**Kairi/Gaara/Kankuro: NO I'M/SHE'S NOT!!**

**Umm... okay. Freaky.**

**ENJOY AND R&R!!**

**Chapter Two: Let the Games Begin**

I blinked stupidly up at Kankuro, grinning like a maniac as thought after thought coursed through my mind, few from being completely innocent. Kankuro looked down at me, as I stood infront of him, my eyes wide, and Temari was about ready to explode a few feet away, and Gaara was allready off doing Kazekage buisiness.

"Wha'...?" I finally managed to ask again. Kankuro cocked his head to the side.

"I said you can stay in my room for the night until we get one of the extras cleaned up enough to even see through the mess."

I nodded. "Uh huh."

"Um... you're kind of scaring me, Kairi-san."

I nodded. "Uh huh." Then, some random thought hit me in the back of the head and I shook it to clear the cobwebs, before smacking him and storming off, ignoring the shouts behind me. Three hours later I had managed to find the kitchen, and promptly grabbed a cup of milk, and started pouring chocolate syrup in, barely listening as Gaara walked in.

"Mimichi-san? Are you allright?"

"Huh? Oh, Ohayou gozaimasu Kazekage-samma. Hai, I'm just thirsty."

"It's more of late night and the last time I saw anyone have that much chocolate, Temari tried to kill herself."

"Well, I wouldn't put it past me, but I'm just making chocolate milk." I had put an entire bottle of the chocolate sundae syrup in a jug of milk. I promptly shook it up. And took a drink, straight from the jug. Gaara twitched.

"Um... Which way is the roof? I wanna stargaze."

"Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Nope. Last time I checked, my days are seventy-two hours and night about three." He quirked a brow. "I get nightmares." He nodded slowly, and turned around. I followed him till I was on the roof.

XXXXXXX

"Why do you sit on roofs at night, Gaara-samma...?" I asked slowly, sitting with my feet hanging over the edge, swinging in the wind, my chocolate milk nestled between my legs.

"Because stars never sleep; we have something in common."

" You are oddly deep, for your character."

"There's something odd about you... Not that anyone would beleive anything you say..."

"Why?"

"You look like a hooker in those clothes." I glanced down at my tights and small pink turtleduck shorts, MCR T-shirt, and sweater wrapped around my waist. I shrugged.

"I borrowed them from Temari for the night."

"That explains a little to much."

"Agreed. Any other reasons why you seem to be so comfortable around me?"

"To be honost... you look like you need someone like that."

"Ah, and I admire your deep and talkitive sensibility Guru Gaara." He glared, and we didn't talk for the rest of the night. The world is at peace again.

XXXXXXX

Fear.

It was my only thought as I lay on my back. The only thing I could feel, even comprehend was that.

I was scared.

No, I was terrified.

I was laying on my back in a large lake grey lake. The water leaked around my body, soaking my skin and the thin white yukata I wore. The water was surrounded by a dark forest, and the sky was a deep, endless black.

I realized I was dreaming.

I sat up slowly, trying to move my muscles, only to have pain seare through them, biting, clawing and shreding ever fiber of me that moved. I bit back a scream, and curled around myself, trying not to cry.

I felt something watching me, but I didn't care.

Suddenly, the pain stopped, the only thing I could feel was the cold hand on my shoulder, and I turned my head to see a small redheaded boy with cat-like eyes. His hair was a ruffled mess, and he wore jeans and a long-sleeve sweater. Both were black. He smiled a fang-sharpened grin, that sent warm, almost familiar shivers down my spine.

I stood slowly, curious.

"Who are you?" I asked. He smiled gently, softly, comforting, as the water turned a bloodred, coming from the place where my heart should have been. He pulled me into a hug, his body towering over mine, cloaking me as the blood turned my yukata crimson, and his clothes stained.

He kissed the top of my head, brushing my hair with his hands as he held me tight.

"I'll be here... don't be afraid..." He soothed as everything faded away to the sun peaking onto me, in several velvet colors.


	3. blood and chocolate

**AN: YAY!! We finally made it too the third chapter! Kankuro is still acting like the perverse idiot I made him and Temari is out at the hotsprings for the day! YAY!! Yeah... I kinda feel bad for making her so mean to Kairi, but she'll get nicer... She's just worried about her brothers. I think I'll make her nice eventually. Anyways, this story may end up not being very long, unless I do one of my first stories where I actually put them through a relationship... considering I've never been in an actual relationship, this'll prove interesting.**

**Anyways; Kankuro, please do the honors.**

**Kankuro: But Kairi-chan'll hurt me...**

**Kairi: YOU BET I WILL!!**

**Kankuro: I really am sorry about that chocolate...!!**

**Kairi: Whatever... Anyways, Drunken Chipmunks holds no claim over the movie Blood And Chocolate or any Naruto characters and I own myself. Enjoy, message and review!**

**Chapter Three: Blood & Chocolate**

"KAIRI-CHAN OPEN UP RIGHT NOW!!" Kankuro howled through the door. I glared at it.

"NOT UNTIL YOU APOLOGIZE!!" I retorted, kicking it harshly. I heard Kankuro growl.

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!" He yelled back. I slumped against the wall, refusing to open it or reply now. That son of a bitch stole my chocolate bar.

"What did he do this time?" Gaara asked, materializing from sand into the room. I shot him a venemous glare, and his eyes momentarily widened. I had been staying with them for a week now, and I had been all but this angry. I had also never locked myself in Kankuro's room. Of course, they knew I had a temper, but that was only shown when me and Kankuro teased/flirted with eachother. It had been a game, though. Just a game then.

Until he made it personal.

"Why should I tell you?" I grumbled, crossing my arms across my chest. Gaara narrowed his eyes, his sand raising an inch. I gave a sheepish smile.

"He ate my chocolate bar...?" I offered in a soft voice, shooting a glare to the door. Gaara sweatdropped.

"That's it?" He asked. I gave him an incredulous look.

"THATS IT?! HOW CAN YOU BE SO DISPASSIONATE!!" I cried, getting to my feet and glaring at Gaara. He actually took a hesitant step back.

"Dispassionate? It's just a chocolate bar."

"IT IS NOT JUST A CHOCOLATE BAR!! IT IS THE BEST CREATION KNOWN TO MAN; THE MOST SACRED OF ALL THINGS!!" I cried, throwing my hands up in the air.

"THIS IS OVER A CHOCOLATE BAR?!" Kankuro yelled from the other side of the door.

"OF COURSE YOU CHOCOLATE-STEALING SON OF A BITCH!!"

"WATCH YOUR MOUTH!!"

"MAKE ME!!"

"FINE! IF IT'LL CALM YOU DOWN ILL BUY YOU TWO NEW CHOCOLATE BARS!!" I smiled, and opened the door.

"Okay." I said sweetly. He looked down at me.

"Just like that? I'm forgiven."

"If we go get the chocolate right now." I elaborated. He rolled his eyes.

"Come on; since it's your last day before you start training, I'll buy you an extra."

"YEAH!! FREE CARBS!!" I cheered as we walked out of the house.

"You'd think you always had chocolate with how hyper you are."

"No, that's sleep deprivation and coffee."

"Yeah... once you start training you'll need to sleep alot more to replenish your chakra."

"But I don't think I have chakra."

"Gaara-samma thinks otherwise." I nodded, and we walked through the village, me avoiding the stares of the people. Temari had taken me shopping the day before, and I had loaded on red, black, and white long sleeves half-tops, shorts, baggy jeans and sweaters. Kankuro swore when he saw all of it, ranting about how I was gonna roast. I shrugged and wacked him unconcious to get him to shut up.

But it still puzzled me... In the manga and anime, Kankuro and Temari had always acted as if they hated their brother, Gaara, and it didn't make sense then... He was their brother. They should love him just as much no matter what.

"Kankuro-san... can I ask you something?" I asked softly, kicking at the dirt as I avoided his gaze. He looked down at me in surprise.

"Sure..." He said slowly.

"Do you hate Kazekage-samma?" I asked, looking up at him, unable to hide a tear glistening on my cheek. I had my fair share of siblings that hated you. My older brother had hurt me.

"What?! Why do you ask?" He said, stopping as he turned to face me completely. I bit my lip, looking at my feet.

"Just answer the question." I whispered.

"You have to understand, Kairi-chan... he's my brother, I'll love him, I always will... but he killed our mother and-"

"That wasn't his fault!" I cut Kankuro off. Kankuro sighed, looking away from me with a hurt expression. He took a deep breath to gather his courage, then turned to me. He gripped one of my hands with his own, and used the other to grip my chin and get in my face.

"I understand how that seems, Kairi-chan. I don't know how you know about it, but I don't really care. I know that's not how it is, but it doesn't change the way it makes me feel.

"I was a really tiny kid then, and I didn't understand. I can't change how I feel about it, no matter what the truth is. But he also murdered our father- yes, I know it was in self defence, but it was also in rage and he still killed him. I loved my father and mother, just as I love Gaara, but love cannot exist without hate.

"And if anything, I fear him. Not hate him purely, he scares me. But I still love him. It's a biological need to protect and care for my little brother." I bit my lip, turning my eyes down.

"Thank you Kankuro-san..." I murmured, pulling free. I was trying to hide the second tear that had escaped me. But Kankuro kneeled in front of me, turning me to face him forcefully. He wiped the tears away and held my face between his hands as he searched my eyes.

"Why did you ask though...?" He said softly, almost tenderly. It was a strange side of Kankuro for me too see.

"No reason..." I mumbled, looking away as I used one hand to wipe gently at my eyes, and the other to hold onto Kankuro's wrist.

"I'd ask but I don't think you'll tell me... Why don't we go get that chocolate?" Kankuro asked. I gave a watery smile and nodded. Kankuro pulled me to his chest in a tight hug, and I couldn't help but hug him back as I let out a small sob. He looked down at me in concern, and stood up. I grabbed his hand, breaking out into a forced smile as I dragged him to the store, singing my chocolate song. Kankuro watched me with a strange look, but I avoided and ignored it.

XXXXXXX

"Kankuro pul-eezzz!!" I begged, going down on my knees as I clasped my hands under my chin. Kankuro covered his eyes.

"No! And stop looking at me like that! I'm only getting you three! I don't want you to get fat!"

"ARE YOU CALLING ME FAT?!" I hissed. His eyes flew wide, and the minute I had his attention I made the most innocent and sweet face I could. He gave a resignated sigh, but then a devious smirk creeped up.

"Um... Kankuro-kun?" I asked in a scared little voice. He leaned down to my level, coming close to me, and smiled slowly.

"Yes?" He said in a husky voice. My eyes flew wide.

"Ummm... What are you thinking about? You're kind of scaring me."

"My apologies _Kairi-chan..._ I was thinking about a compromise."

"What kind of compromise?" I asked suspiciously.

"I'll buy you another chocolate bar if you strip for me." My eyes flew wide then narrowed into daggers.

"How about a kiss?" I offered. He shook his head. "A french? Final offer, buster. I can live with just three." I held out my hand, but he took me by the waist, pulling me too him with a little squeak. I bit my lip as his head lowered to mine, and I closed my eyes as I moved to meet him. Our lips pressed together softly and-

"What are you doing Kankuro...?" The dangerously low voice of Gaara asked. We pulled back from eachother on instinct. I hid behind Kankuro, blushing.

"Um... nothing Gaara-samma!" Kankuro said nervously.

"It didn't look like nothing. Kairi-san, come with me. Kankuro, pay for the chocolate and come home." Gaara said lowly. I grinned and stuck my tongue out at Kankuro, but then turned a nearly trembling self to Gaara. I can't deny it; something that's strong enough to kill you that you can't even run from is frightening. I took a deep breath and gave a hesitant smile.

XXXXXXX

"What was that?" Gaara finally broke the silence that surrounded us as we walked back to the kazekage manor. I looked up at him innocently.

"What was what?"

"Don't play games with me, Kairi-chan." He said dangerously, turning around to face me. I looked up at him, a puzzled mixed with shocked look on my face.

"Kairi-chan?" I asked slowly.

"A slip of my tongue. Now what happened back there? Why were you kissing my brother?" He said, narrowing his eyes. I grinned.

"Why? Are you jealous Gaara-kun?" I teased. His sand threateningly crawled up my leg and I froze.

"That wasn't funny. Now, answer me. I don't want to force it out of you." Now I was getting angry.

"Why? Are you afraid to kill me? Do it. I dare you. I have things to fear worse then death." I growled. His eyes widened, and just from shock, his sand fell.

"I..."

"That's what I thought. So next time you wanna threaten me, do something about it. And as to your fucking question, we were joking, and I offered him a kiss for another chocolate bar. It was innocent teasing, _Gaara-kun._" I hissed, then turned on my heal and stormed off, leaving a shocked Gaara.

**A/N: Alsos, my fans and worshipers (whichever you are, I appriciate both equally, though worshipping is nice since it comes with reviews. Hint, hint.) I would like to thank for the lovely little reviews I got!**

**Nyappynhu- for one, I love the username, for two, I hope you enjoy the bits of turmoil coming up.**

**human kitsune hero- Squee! Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like my writing, it's nice to have a good fan... I hope the story keeps entertianing for you, and let me know especially if you have any ideas or just random events that have happened! Thanks, again! **

**FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS FOR EVERYONE!!**


	4. challenge

**AN: Okies dokies, welcome one and all to the fourth installment of Insomniatic Insanity. Now, just a sneak peak, the title was originaly going to be named Lonely, so I think I did a pretty good job with 'Insomniatic Insanity'. Also, Kairi is my nicname at school, so I based her off of me. Now, I apologize for making Gaara-kun so mean, but it's needed. You see, he doesn't really understand how he feels about her, and he's trying to deal with his protectiveness and confusing emotions in the only way he knows how.**

**Kairi: But I'll whip him in too shape!**

**Gaara: Is that another challenge?**

**Kairi: 0.0**

**Gaara: Thought so. Anyways, Drunken Chipmunks does not own anything here, and Kairi is **_**mine**_**. Also, leave a review or I'll kill you.**

**Kairi/Me: 0.0**

**Chapter Four: Challenge**

"I don't want you being around him anymore." Gaara elaborated. We were standing in the room they had cleaned up for me. I was sitting on my bed, a book open in my lap, a jug of chocolate milk on my nightstand and some bars of chocolate on the matress. It was late night.

"What?" I asked. He had materialized just then in front of me. "Who? Why?"

"I don't want you being around Kankuro."

"WHAT?! WHY!!"

"That game became a little less than innocent, Kairi-san. And you know what I said."

"No."

"What?" He was shocked.

"I said no. I won't do it. You can't make me stay away from him. Who's supposed to teach me puppetry?"

"You'll be learning a different art. But you aren't spending time around him, and that's final. I can make you."

"What if I don't listen? What are you gonna do? _How_ are you gonna make me?"

"I'm the kazekage, Kairi-chan. I can get pretty creative. For instance, there's an open mission in the land of waves for twelve months. Even if he doesn't want to go, he wouldn't have a choice."

"You know Gaara-_kun,_" I began mockingly. "This is one reason why people don't like you. You get away with everything. Talk about a god complex, I mean. You just order everyone around, expecting them to listen. Well, listen to me, _Kazekage-samma_; humans are made to make choices. That's our entire reason for existance. So me and Kankuro are gonna damn well make our own choices, and just because your jealous isn't any reason for us to stop."

"You will watch your tongue around me, Kairi-san."

"Bite me." I retorted. Gaara glared, then an idea flickered in his eyes.

"Allright? You wanted to become a ninja didn't you? How about this? If you train with me for the next month, I'll let you see him. If you quit anytime, you can't see him."

"Is that a challenge, Gaara-_samma_?"

"Absolutely." He said lowly, then dissapeared in a whirlwind of sand. I sighed, collapsing onto my back.

"Well... If I start training tomorrow, I'm gonna need all the sleep I can get." And with that, I blew out my candle and curled up to sleep.

_**XXXXXXX**_

"What?" I looked at him shocked. It was my first day of training and I was in no good mood. Gaara had woken me up at four am, giving me no time to tell Kankuro what was going on.

Thankfully Temari would be coming home today. She said she had some muscle relaxing salve for when I'm finished with training. That and a bubble bath. Yay, bubbles...

Anywho; I was then force-fed several soldier pills and a cup of water and a cup of orange juice and got a ten minute shower. Gaara actually came into the bathroom and turned on the cold water then the boiling water with his HANDS to get me out. Then, he gave me a pair of white shorts and a sports bra for training. I don't even want to know where he got the bra. He then marched me to the training feild on the outskirts of the village.

Now this?

"I said take four running laps around the village."

"I can barely run to the training feild!" I protested.

"Then you're going to start over until you get it done, and I'll add a lap every time you slow down to a walk."

"Son of a bitch," I grumbled under my breath, glaring at him.

"I'd stop insulting me, save your breath, and start running." I glared even harder, adjusted the bra straps, pulled my hat down further, and started running.

God, I wish I had shoes.

After a lap and a half -I was shocked myself- I was breathing heavily, and I fell, tripping over some kids ball they kicked in front of me. In an instant, Gaara was beside me, Using his sand to force me up.

"Start over. That's five laps this time." My eyes narrowed. But without a sound, I brushed myself off, and started running again, shooting a glare to the kid as Gaara tossed the ball back to him.

I would have no surprise if Gaara payed the little brat to do that.

He must love seeing me in pain.

By three laps, I hadn't fallen, but I had slowed down slightly in an attempt to pace myself, but I was breathing heavily, my eyes hurt from the sun, I was covered in freckles -ironically red-heads don't tan, we freckle- and I also got a sunburn on my lower back.

I blame Gaara, and he's gonna pay all hell if he expects me to make dinner tonight. You see, when Temari was gone at the hotsprings, Gaara had me on cooking duty, and turns out they loved it. I had volunteered to do it again, giving Temari a break.

Never mind. I want to cook. I can't wait to burn it.

I collapsed onto my hands and knees, my legs aching and my chest burning. Gaara was beside me, and he stared down at me as I caught my breath, wheezing in and out, I spoke to him.

"Why... Do I... Have... To... Run... So... Much?" I gasped out.

"Because in a mission if you have to get somewhere far away and fast you'll be running all day and night, and you can't fall back." My eyes flew wide. I hadn't even thought of that.

"Not to mention I'm building up your endurance and stamina, you'll need that in a prolonged fight."

"But I can't even fight!"

"We'll do that later. Because, it's better to run than fight. Now get back on your feet and run." I glared at the dirt as I pushed myself up, and continued running.

"AND ITS SIX LAPS NOW!! START OVER!!" He shouted after me. I shot him a glare, but as I did, I ran into something hard. I fell backwards, and groaned. I opened one eye to see Gaara standing beside me. The person I had run into offered me a hand.

When I was back on my feet I looked at them properly.

"Thanks alot," I grunted, not sure if it was sarcastic or not.

"Oh! Naruto!" I exclaimed happily. The person looked at me funny.

"Do I know you?" He asked.

"No, but I've heard alot about the sixth hokage."

"Who... Wait, you beleive me?" I just nodded, smiling proudly.

"SEE SAKURA-CHAN!! SOMEONE HAS FAITH IN ME!!" He exclaimed. I looked behind him to see Kakashi and Sai and Sakura standing behind Naruto.

"Konnichiwa Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-san, Sai-kun!" I said brightly. They all blinked at me.

"Are you related to Kazekage-samma?" Sai asked. I sweatdropped.

"Wha? Um... no... I'm not. Are any other Konoha nin with you guys?"

"Yeah, Lee and Gai are doing some training." Sai answered grudgingly.

"Kairi-san, go find Lee and Gai. See if they'll run with you." Gaara ordered.

"But-"

"Contradicting counts as quitting." He cut me off with a withering glare. I returned it.

"Bastard," I growled, starting to jog off, but Naruto caught my arm.

"HEY! SHOW SOME RESPECT TO THE KAZEKAGE!!" He shouted. Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"Let her go Naruto. Kairi, stop insulting me."

"Or what?" I countered. Everyone froze and looked at me.

"You'll do well not to disgrace me infront of another village's representatives. Now, if you want to see my brother again, you'll do what I tell you without contradiction."

"Holding my tongue wasn't part of the deal."

"Deal? What deal?" Naruto asked. "And is he talking about Kankuro?"

"Yes. Me and Kairi-san here made a compromise. I don't want her around my brother, but if she can survive my training for a month without quitting, I'll let her start her training with him."

"That's harsh."

"I agree. Thanks for being on my side Naruto, but seriously, you're hurting my arm." He grinned sheepishly and let me go. I started running around.

"LEE! GAI!!" I yelled. Suddenly, there were to identical males in front of me. I stumbled backwards, but the shorter one, Lee, caught me by my waist. Gai gave the pose.

"Nice catch, Lee! So full of youth and charisma towards the ladies!" He complimented. I rolled my eyes, laughing, as I straightened up and dusted myself off. I then bowed.

"Konnichiwa Rock Lee, Maito Gai; under orders from Kazekage-sensei I am to ask you to assist me in my training." They grinned.

"We would love too! What are you working on?!" Gai said enthusiastically. I grinned sheepishly.

"Well... I'm not very good, todays my first day of training, but Kazekage-sensei is having me attempt six laps around the village, for my endurance and stamina. I get an extra lap everytime I fail, so now I actually have seven."

"Well, we would love to assist such a beautiful young lady in her training! SEVEN LAPS WILL BE A PEICE OF CAKE!!" Lee and Gai shouted the last part together. I smiled at the absurdity of the two. I reached up on tiptoes, ruffling their hair, and grinned. It looked better ruffled.

"So any pre-running tips I should know about?"

"Breath." Lee said immediately. I grinned, and pretended to right it down.

"Gotcha. Anymore?" I looked up from my 'notepad', grinning.

"Pace yourself. Slow down slightly when you're breathing too hard; and you said you were a beginner?" I nodded. "Why does Kazekage-samma have you working so hard? You should only start with four."

"I did start with four, but I only got to one and a half, and he added another."

"Why?"

"Some kid tripped me. I think Kazekage-sensei payed the brat to do it."

"Hmm... does the kazekage-samma have a grudge against you?"

"Yeah. We made a deal; if I can survive his training for one month he'll let me hang around his brother again."

"Why does he not want you to hang around Kankuro-san?" Lee asked.

"Because I kissed him."

"You and Kankuro-san are... together?" Lee seemed heartbroken. Gai patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, my Lee... Other girls are out there!"

"Yes! Sakura-chan will be mine!"

"Um... guys?"

"Yes Kankuro-san's girlfriend?" Lee asked.

"IM NOT HIS GIRLFRIEND!!" I yelled angrily, my fists balling as I attempted to resist to smack them silly. Pimp slap suddenly seemed very appealing, especially if I had brass knuckles.

"What?" They both looked confused.

"Me and Kankuro were playing around, and I was trying to convince him to buy me another chocolate bar, we were joking and he told me to strip and he'd buy me one. I offered to kiss him instead. It was a game; a joke. He's a friend and it didn't mean anything."

"It may not have meant anything to you, Kairi-chan... But what if it meant something to Kankuro-san?" Gai asked. I froze, blinking up at him in denial.

"Kankuro doesn't have a crush on me." I said firmly, shaking my head for emphasis.

"That reminds me! No chocolate for a good running diet! Fruits, vegetables, meat and bread!" Gai said suddenly. I sighed.

"No chocolate?"

"No chocolate." I glared at the ground.

"Fine. Can we run now?" I grumbled.

"Yes, my princess!" Lee said. I rolled my eyes.

XXXXXXX

"Kairi?" I looked up at him. We were on my fourth lap, I was slowing down slightly, and breathing hard, it was my third try again, so I now had ten laps to do in a row, and Lee had been telling me all kinds of tips and stuff Gai-sensei had taught him.

"I apologize for 'hitting' on you earlier." I blinked, then remembered. Me and Lee had been flirting shamelessly earlier as I was recovering from running into a brick wall. I had a cut on my forehead from it and puked my breakfast from the run-in.

"Why?" I breathed heavily.

"Because I don't like hitting on other mens girls."

"What?"

"Kankuro has staked a claim, yet so has the Kazekage. I don't like that kind of competition."

"So?" I stopped running.

"What if I like you, Lee? I don't like them like that. If anything, Kazekage-sensei is a brother. Kankuro is a friend, we just enjoy teasing eachother and playing games. It's all innocent fun."

"It doesn't seem innocent to play with peoples emotions. And do you really like me like that?"

"I think you're attractive and funny, and marriage and dating material, but no. I don't like you like that."

"Then why can't you like Kankuro or Gaara-samma like that?"

"Because I can't." And I started running on my now eleven laps again.

XXXXXXX

By the end of the day I had accomplished doing five laps in a row around the village. Gaara-samma had refused to talk to me, after he showed all of the Konoha nin who were to help with harvesting out to their duties, and then sent me home with a glare. I still owed him fourty laps in a row. I groaned to myself, thinking about the number as I walked in.

"Hey Kairi-chan!" Kankuro said brightly. I glared at him, massaging my shoulders. "Are you allright?"

"Just peachy!" I growled, still glaring at everything in sight. He flinched.

"Um... did you just spend the day training with Gaara-samma?" I nodded, shooting a glare to Gaara. "What did you guys do?"

"I had to run. Alot." I said, running my hands down my calves. I closed my eyes, letting out a gasp as my muscles spasmed from being overworked till they were in shreds. Kankuro sighed, and hefted me up bridal style.

"What?" I hissed, looking up at him.

"C'mon, Temari's got a bath ready for you and some dinner. She said you would need it, and I see why. Afterwards I could give you a massage?" He offered. I flushed, and looked down at his arms wrapped tightly around me. I reflected back to Lee's words.

_"Kankuro has staked a claim..."_

I flushed further, and shook my head.

"Nah thanks..." I murmured.

"If you say so."

It was just innocent flirting... wasn't it?

I sighed, rubbing my temples since my head hurt with all the adreniline and confusion and emotions as Kankuro sat me down in a chair beside the bubble bath. The tub was the hot tub in the pool room. Temari was allready relaxing, so once Kankuro was gone, I stripped and climbed in.

After a thorough scrubbing and washing of all the grit, sand and sweat, and brushing my teeth and massaging my muscles. I got out, wrapped myself in a robe, and sat down at a table to eat the food. It was a salad, with every topping I could desire and thousand island ranch.

My favorite.

There was also an apple, a peice of garlic bread and -yipee! She does love me!- a cup of chocolate milk. I smiled. My first day here, Temari had spent dinner time listing all of my favorite foods, including salad toppings, and had narrowed it down to training foods I could have. I love that women.

XXXXXXX

After I finished eating I dragged myself to my room, not even bothering to say goodnight to anybody, and collapsed a few feet from my bed, sleeping soundly.


	5. training with Konoha

**AN: ELLO LUVS!! Allright, so I've done some research for this chapter, and I'll be including my own imaginative training techniques, 'real' naruto training, military training, boot camp training, 'real' ninja training and even some jedi training.**

**Also, I know Gaara is being mean, but the reason they're so mean to eachother is because they're attracted, and he hopes that he can exaughst Kairi until she physically can't train, so she can't see Kankuro. Anyways, Review, and enjoy!**

**Kankuro: I was gonna say that!**

**Gaara: Stuff it.**

**Chapter Five: Training with Konoha**

For my second day of training, Gaara woke me up at the same time, handed me my food, a packed lunch, my clothes -cleaned, thankfully- and stuffed me in a shower with a special body wash that he used to make Kankuro use during genin training because he knew my body would be spasming. I was still pissed at him for making me work till an hour after the sun went down and an hour before it got up. Though he shut up my complaints with a glare and a threat.

After a cold shower -it wakes me up faster- Gaara-samma had me run five strenuious laps before meeting up with him. Two hours later, the sun just barely over the edge of the desert, but already sending heatwaves in my path and blurring my vision.

"Hey..." I panted, slowing down to a walk as I met up with him. I stretched my muscles and massaged my pulled calves.

"Today, since harvesting started, I'll have you working with the Konoha nin to pick water plants."

"Allright... how do I do that?"

"Naruto offered to show you how, but Sai offered, and I'd rather have him then that idiot."

"Ugh..." I groaned.

"And don't insult them." Gaara said before dissapearing. I glared at the left over grains of sand, and pushed myself back to my feet, and started walking to the feilds. They were a funny rice-like plant that grew in the water that tasted like fruit that Suna was famous for, and there was academy students there constantly working with other nin on keeping the water there. They had to use some chakra every few hours, but the greenhouse built around it with white paint on the windows and blacklights helped.

"Kairi-chan!" Lee exclaimed, and I was immediately wrapped in a hug. I stumbled backwards, patting him akwardly on the back as he pulled back. "Why aren't you training?"

"Kazekage-sensei said you guys needed some help to finish this up, so he volunteered me."

"Yes! We can make this a training exercise for you!" Gai cheered from his work. I sighed, and frowned, but Sai spoke before me.

"Actually, the Kazekage-samma had me appointed to be incharge of her training for now." I glared and gave a sadistic smile.

"Oh... we'll have fun." I purred. He gave a smile.

"Hmm... that's interesting. I've read about that."

"What?"

" 'When one has a violent idea, concerning the humiliation, degredation or abuse of another, it is good to smile to fool them, though this can also arise suspicion and fear. It's best used to frighten someone when you don't have an idea, merely intimidating them'." He quoted. I blinked.

"Why does he sound like a textbook?" I asked, pointing at him. Naruto laughed, and Kakashi shot me a look. I glared back.

"Funny. Now, can you focus your chakra to your feet." I flushed, bowing my head.

"Um... you see, I come from a funny place where ninja don't exist except in fantasies... So this is only my second day of training, and I've heard of chakra but-"

"You don't know how or what it really is?" Sakura finished. I nodded sheepishly, not meeting any of their eyes. Sai sighed **(Lol!)** and walked over.

" 'Chakra is the mix of body and soul, the balance within ourselves. One must focus mind and soul, to created chakra and learn how to distribute it evenly throughout the wanted area.' Now, I need you to focus on the energy within your own body, and try to distribute it evenly through your feet." I glared, and he smiled. The smile scared me slightly, so I took a step back before closing my eyes, focusing.

Suddenly, as I breathed in and out, I felt everything drift away... It was like it was just me.

Then, I _saw_.

Though it was like a feeling, a swirling, crazy, large mass of energy that battled dangerously against its container. I took another deep breath and released it, willing it towards my feet, but it didn't obey. I felt a burning throughout my body, and bit my lip, coming back into the present as I muffled a scream of pain, and collapsed to my knees. Sai sighed.

"That's called chakra burn. It hurts and it physically damages and exaughsts your body. Now, you released way to much... in fact, you released all of your excess suply." Sai narrowed his eyes, but shrugged it off.

"Ah well, you can just get your ankles wet." I nodded numbly, my eyes half lidded as I breathed slowly and heavily, trying to get the energy to stand. I glared at all the worried looks I was getting, about to flip them off, when I remembered Gaara's words, and instead just glared, pushing myself to my feet.

"Allright. Now what do I do?"

"Just pull them up by the base of the leaves, like a carrot. Put them in this basket-" he handed me said basket, "-and when it's full, give it to one of the academy students in exchange for an empty one."

I grumbled under my breath as I worked.

"So..." Naruto started as we were working beside eachother in the second greenhouse feild.

"So what?" I asked, looking up at him. My thorough exaughstion had humbled me slightly once I got over the pain.

"Are you and Gaara-kun... y'know?" I froze, wide-eyed, and dropped my basket. Taking a deep breath, I picked up the basket.

"No... what makes you ask? I mean, he's attractive, hell yes, but Kazekage-sensei's more like a brother to me."

"But I thought you lived together?"

"Who told you that?" He pointed a finger at Lee. I groaned.

"That big mouthed idiot has been bugging me... he says Kankuro and Gaara have 'staked a claim' on me."

"I don't blame them."

"What does that mean? It's not like they've actually done something as absurd as that." I said rudely.

"Hey... no need to get hostile, I'm just saying, I don't know where you grew up, but by ninja standards... um... how do I say this?"

"Just spit it out. I don't care."

"You're drop dead sexy, Kairi-chan." I froze, flushing again as I dropped my basket. I fumbled, mumbling as I gathered the plant, shaking slightly.

"I -uh... well... um... thank you?" I said akwardly.

"Uh... yeah... weren't you totally confident a few minutes ago? Why does this bug you?"

"Um... I have to disagree, Naruto... I'm not even pretty."

"Don't tell yourself that, Kairi-chan!" Lee cheered from his spot. "You're beautiful!"

"Stop flattering me, no I'm not!" I retorted, getting a little frustrated.

"Why does being attractive bug you, Kairi-san? I mean, even I'm jealous of you." Sakura said in concern. I narrowed my eyes.

"Drop the subject. Shut up. All of you."

"Kairi-chan? What's wrong?" I turned around to see Lee standing in front of me, a full foot higher than me. Naruto even was taller than me. I glared up.

"None of any of your damned buisiness. Now get back to work." I hissed, shoving by him. We all worked in thoughtfull, tense silence from that moment on.

XXXXXXX

At the end of the work -once all the water plants were picked- Lee and Naruto walked beside me. It was still daylight, which means I would have to find Gaara to finish up for the day. Naruto and Lee had offered to join me, and Kakashi wanted to supervise, while Gai watched everyone else. What Kakashi didn't tell them is he wanted a view on my relationship with Gaara and Kankuro, discuss some things with Gaara, and he was mildly curious as to why Gaara was even training me. So he followed.

"So... Kairi-chan... why did you freak out earlier?" Naruto asked tenderly. I blinked up at him in confusion.

"Umm... What? I don't remember freaking out."

"When Naruto made a ... comment... about your... uh- looks?" Lee said carefully. He was rather terrified of my temper, considering I was training under Kazekage-sensei.

"What are you talking about?" I asked slowly.

"Kairi-chan, don't avoid it. We're just worried about you." I tensed, and then stopped. They both walked about two feet further before turning around and looking at me funny.

"I'm not weak." I growled. "I don't need your worry, your care, your pity, your opinions or your emotions. I can damn well handle them myself."

"We didn't mean it like that, but we're your friends! Kairi-chan, you aren't weak!" Naruto protested.

"I... well..." I looked at the ground, folding my arms over my chest as my shoulders shook.

"Naruto? What did you do?" Lee asked aggresively. Naruto looked at Lee, then at me, completely confused.

"I just said she was my friend!"

"Look, drop it, forget about it all, okay?" I said suddenly, looking up at them, my eyes watering but not crying. "This never happened, you never asked that. Got it?"

"Kairi-chan... are you allright? Did something happen?" Lee asked.

"Fine." I growled, storming ahead of them until I reached the Kazekage manor. I walked inside, to find Temari in the kitchen.

"Mimichi-san? What are you- oh! Lee, Naruto, Kakashi! The Kazekage is in the pool room. Mimichi-san? Can you show them there?" I bit my lip nervously but nodded.

Five minutes later...

"Umm... I think it might be this way? Or, no... maybe this- no. That's not right. Oh! That way!" I grinned, pointing where we had just come from. They sweatdropped. I grinned sheepishly. Just then, Kankuro walked down the hall from his room.

"Kairi? Naruto? Kakashi? Lee? What are you guys doing here?"

"I'm here to train with Kairi-chan!" Lee and Naruto said at the same time. Kankuro's eyes momentarily narrowed, though I didn't notice, and he tensed.

"Right. Kakashi?"

"Here to report. Can you show us to the pool room?"

"Yeah... Temari-san kinda put me incharge of 'tour guiding'." I said sheepishly.

"She did? That dolt." Kankuro grumbled. I nodded, laughing, as I fell into step beside Kankuro and we walked to the pool room, me talking about what we did today. Naruto and Lee inputting their comments.

"Oh! And Sai nearly knocked her out from chakra exaughstion because he didn't explain how to focus it right!" Naruto said. I groaned, as Kankuro stopped abruptly. Naruto bumped into his back.

"Hey! What did ya stop for?!"

"He. Did. What?" Kankuro asked slowly, turning around, glaring. Naruto went wide eyed in fear.

"Um... Sai... uh... heh-heh."

"I'll kill that-" Kankuro started to shout.

"You'll kill who, Kankuro?" Gaara asked, stepping out of the pool room. Kankuro glared at the floor, his fists clenched.

"No one Gaara-samma." He mumbled. I looked from the pair, but when I went to ask Kankuro what was going on, he was gone. I turned a glare to Gaara.

"You scared him off." I accused. Gaara raised a brow.

"Telling him to stay away from you was not excluded from our deal." He said simply.

"Well, he did. I came to him." I retorted. Naruto looked confused.

"What do you mean, Kairi-chan? He just-"

"NARUTO!!" I yelled, angrily, cutting him off. Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"Kairi-san, can you swim?"

"Wha-? Oh. Yeah. Of course, I used to... um... that's funny. But, yeah. I think so."

"That'll have to do. Do four laps around the pool, then tie your ankles and do it without your feet. Keep your head above water at all times." I grumbled under my breath, but followed Naruto and Lee into the pool room. I instantly dived in, but Naruto and Lee had to strip to their boxers. Naruto was blushing like crazy, and Lee looked akward.

"Well? Are you gonna come in or watch me train?"

"Um... we don't really have swim suits..." Naruto started.

"What he said." Lee said quickly. I looked at them in mild confusion.

"Then swim in your boxers, you dolts!" Their eyes flew wide, and they turned red.

"You... don't mind?" Lee ventured. I rolled my eyes.

"We're training, I won't be looking, and it's not like one of you are going to rape me.

"Wait... You're not going to rape me, are you?" I asked, gaining a worried look. Both of them quickly shook their heads and I smiled. "Then get in!"

XXXXXXX

I had climbed out of the water, tying my ankles. The pool was huge, about twenty feet deep in the deep end, and about fifty feet by twenty. Just then, Gaara walked in and froze. His eyes narrowed.

"Kairi-chan?" I looked up at him, still tying my ankles with the cloth string I had found.

"Yeah?"

"Are you swimming?"

"Um... duh. I'm just trying to tie my ankles. I can't seem to remember a sailors knot."

"Allright... are they swimming?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Are they in swimsuits?" I quickly saw where this was going.

"Awww... Is _Gaara-kun_ jealous?" I teased as Kakashi moved to stand in the doorway. Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"You will treat me with respect, Kairi-san."

"Nope."

"What?" Lee and Naruto asked at the same time. I smirked. Gaara leaned down in front of me.

"You forget my position, Kairi-san. Not to mention I can kill you whenever I wish." He threatened. Suddenly, Naruto and Lee stopped, their eyes wide. Even Kakashi seemed surprised. I rolled my eyes, getting into his face with a scowl.

"And you forget: Death doesn't scare me. You're gonna have to figure out a better way to scare me Gaara-sensei. Because last time you threatened to kill me, you couldn't go through with it." Gaara's eyes narrowed, and his sand slid out of the cracks in the tile, sliding around me slowly. I smiled.

"Well, I'm certainly proud. Atleast my little Gaara has the guts to threaten a defensless little girl over some teasing." I said sweetly in a mock-pride voice.

"Kairi-chan! Do you want to die?!" Naruto said incrediously.

"Gaara-san, please, put your sand down. Kairi-chan's one of my friends... she's just teasing." Naruto said nervously. Lee seemed scared. Gaara glared, but stepped back, his sand going back into the gourd. I breathed a sigh of releif and finished off my ankles lightly.

"Twenty laps like that around the pool. If you stop, add three more." Gaara said emotionlessly, his eyes glaring at the wall on the other end. I sighed and climbed in the pool, ignoring Naruto and Lee, as I started.

XXXXXXX

The sun had gone down, but Gaara wouldn't let me go to bed until I had atleast twenty laps, but I was actually loosing count from pure exaughstion.

"Gaara-samma... If you don't let her get out you're going to kill her." Kakashi commented from his book. Lee and Naruto were playing a card game with everyone else. Gai looked up.

"You have to remember she's just beginning... In fact, I'm pretty sure she's allready torn several muscles. She won't be able to move at all if you don't ease down."

"I appreciate your concern, but since Kairi-san seems to not be in fear or awe of death, she can meet her quota for the deal."

"Gaara, this is absurd." Naruto spoke up.

"I have to agree, as a medic ninja, I can't let you continue training her this hard." Just then, I groaned, slowing to a stop along the wall, everyone glanced at me in worry, but I glared at Kakashi.

"I don't appreciate your pity, any of you. Now, I know my limits, yes I'm sore, but I will keep my end of the bargain. If he ends up working me to death, so what. It means I wasn't strong enough to handle training. I would get killed in real life, so wouldn't it be better to die from a weakness in training instead of jepeordizing a mission?"

"Kairi-san," Gai spoke up, "There's a difference between over-working and weakness. Each person has a weakness, but you need to work slowly to overcome it. You'll only kill yourself at this rate. You need to slow down; Gaara, you can't let her keep doing this."

"Very well. Kairi-san, get out, go get rest, and meet me tomorrow at sunrise here."

"No." Everyone turned to look at me. I glared at Gaara.

"If he gives me this, I'm gonna do it. I can do it, and I will." I said firmly, and turned back to swimming. After about two minutes, Naruto let out a frustrated growl, and started yelling at me, with Sakura, something about taking care of myself and not being an idiot.

"You call me an idiot one more time and I'll-" I started to threaten them, but my stomach spasmed. I let out a gasp, as my entire body seized up, and black started to spot my vision.

XXXXXXX

Naruto, when he saw her start sinking, his eyes flew wide, and he dived, but before he could even take a breath, wet sand had pushed her out of the water. Gaara looked furious, as he stalked over, sand sliding beneath his feet, as Sakura came over.

"She's blacking out and she's not breathing!" Sakura exclaimed, coming back from listening to her breath.


	6. breath

**AN: Wow! I left you with a cliffhanger! Cool... Well, I apologize for the wait, but here is my sixth installment, and we shall see what happens! Enjoy!**

**Chapter Six: Breathe**

Gaara's eyes widened, though not even I could tell -being unconcious and all- if it was from fear or rage, as he slid to his knees beside my limp, unconcious body, and pressed two fingers to my lingering pulse. He let out a curse.

"Sakura?" He turned to the medic nin, a look of complete hopelessness on his face. Her face softened and she moved over beside him.

"Scooch over, I gotta do CPR." Everyone went wide-eyed at the image, but Gaara obeyed, and Sakura pressed three times on my chest, and breathed in me. After the third try, I let out a gasp, coughing up water.

"YOU IDIOT!" Naruto, Lee, Gaara, and Sakura all raged at once. I coughed, and frowned.

"Dangit..." I murmured. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Gaara-samma, she'll need some food, some clean clothes, to warm up, and sleep. I'll heal her muscles tomorrow morning, once her body can handle the influx of chakra without side-effects and then she'll need two days without training."

"Allright." He said coldly, moving to stand up. I bit down on my lip, the pain eating away at me, but I grabbed his wrist.

"What?" I growled out. He looked down at me, his face expressionless.

"Hmmm.... I guess I don't get to see Kankuro again..." I murmured.

"No."

"No what?"

"As in you're wrong... You can see him still... But you have to continue the compromise, if your physical body gives out on you, I don't really care." Gaara grumbled, then shook his wrist free and walked away. "Besides," He called over his shoulder, "I have training that will HELP your recovery."

"Ugh..." I groaned, rubbing my temples at the thought. Sakura rolled her eyes.

XXXXXXXXX

"So... do you really love Kankuro this much? Enough to lay down your life for him?" Naruto asked softly. He had piggyback carried me to my room, Lee begging for a turn until Sakura whacked him hard enough to get him to shut up, for me. Then Sakura had Lee force-feed me a few soldier pills and actual nutritions, and then much to my embaressment, Naruto now had to help change me since Sakura had been called off by Temari to help with a dying academy student -kunai jutsu gone wrong, I beleive- and I was shivering.

Naruto helped me straighten up, and tug off my shirt, all the time averting his eyes and distracting himself.

"I... what?" I asked, confused and wondering if I had heard him right.

"I asked if loving someone can do this to another. Do you love Kankuro enough to lay your life down like this? Just to see him?"

"No... Naruto..." I started, laughing, and he froze, turning to look at me, completely bewildered before some blood leaked through his nose, and he swiftly turned back around. "Hell... If anything... I love Kankuro... like a brother... This is just a challenge... a game... I'm proving Gaara wrong... I wanna see my friend... so it's a bonus... I have nothing... better to do."

"Kairi-chan... that's pretty mean..." Naruto grumbled out, pulling a clean shirt over my head.

"How?" I asked, honostly confused.

"Kairi-chan... you're behaving like you're head over heals for Kankuro... from what I hear you've even kissed him... Guys take that only one way, Kairi-chan... Kankuro likes you." I raised a disbeleiving eyebrow.

"Sure he does..." I said, rolling my eyes at the sarcastic remark and tugging off my panties to put on new ones and some shorts, making Naruto whirl around, his nose bleeding.

"You should get that checked, if you bleed to much you'll get sick." I said nonchallantly, not quite sure why Naruto's nose was bleeding.

"uh-huh... Are you decent?"

"Pretty much... so?"

"What do you mean, so?"

"I mean, why does it matter? You're a friend, I trust you, I can barely sit up on my own, and -aghk!" I screwed my eyes tight in pain as my muscles spasmed again, just then Sakura stumbled in. She took in my pained expression, and ushered Naruto out before running over to me. Gaara materialized in sand in front of her.

"Don't." He said simply.

"If I don't her muscles won't heal right!" Sakura growled. Gaara rolled his eyes.

"Yes they will."

"YA LITTLE FUCKER!! LET HER HEAL ME!!" I cried, throwing my head back and letting out a muffled scream/groan of pain.

"GAARA, KAIRI, KEEP IT DOWN!!" Came Temari's voice through the door. Sakura gave a frustrated huff.

"Gaara, of all things you've done and as much as I appriciate, respect and admire you, this is unorthodox and low."

"Whatever, please stand by Sakura in case I need you. Now, Kairi, I need you to clear your mind."

"Fuck that, I need some fucking VICODIN!! I CANT FUCKIN' CLEAR MY FUCKIN' MIND IF I'M IN THIS MUCH GOD DAMNED PAIN!!"

"Kairi, please mind your language."

"FUCK YOU!!"

"Gladly."

"I... what?"

"Now that I have your attention, control your breathing, stop hyperventilating, and clear your thoughts."

"WHY?!!"

"Because I'm going to show you how to relax spasming muscles. Now, breath easy and stop hyper ventilating."

"GAARA, DON'T GO THAT HARD IF I CAN HEAR?!!" We all ignored Temari's voice.

"Fuck... fuck you..." I groaned, closing my eyes tightly as the pain criss crossed and burned through my nerves. Soon, as my thoughts calmed, my pain numbed away, as if I was watching, and my breathing was easier. The pain kept shooting back, but I was less aware, like I was ignoring it. My eyes focused intently on Gaara.

Gaara.

Gaara.

I repeated the mantra in my head, as he pulled out the muscle relaxing ointment, and rubbed it on his hands. I didn't care what he was doing, because suddenly, I had an undying trust in him.

Gaara.

Gaara.

Gaara.

**Gaara.**

He placed his hands around my shoulders and neck, his hands smoothly working the oil into the skin. His hands were baby soft, and carefully tender. They felt like a feather was touching me. I sighed, feeling the muscles relaxing. He softly worked the oil up my arms and around my jaw and neck, making the areas relax as he massaged pressure points, focusing the pain until it faded into nothing. He moved his hands down to my sides, staying appropriate, and across my stomach. He massaged my hips, thighs, calves, hands and feet last, working it in until I felt blissfull... completely relaxed and content. He stopped, pulling back and putting the bottle away in a pocket in his robe, and stood up.

"That is how you take care of muscle spasms when training, because if you use chakra to heal, the muscles don't grow back larger, and it doesn't improve your strength. Now, practise your breathing exercises, and you'll do the massages once you're in a better state."

I felt warm, as his words sunk in. I slowly nodded, and Sakura gave me some pills as I drifted off into a dreamless state, my mantra still repeating itself, but much more tenderly.

Gaara.

GAARA.

**Gaara.**

**GAARA.**

_**Gaara.**_

_**GAARA.**_

_**Gaara.**_

_**GAARA.**_

_**GAARA!**_


	7. next task

**A/N: I'm back in action ya'll, and unfortunately back with my family and also sick and also out of school for other reasons as well... So what I mean is I'll be on alot, except for some parties, mainly Twilight oriented, since the movie is coming out soon. Shoot, getting off topic. Anywho, my loyal and beloved fans, I have started a new pattern that may be good or dissapointing, I'm not sure. Anyways, Each night I'll attempt to put out atleast one chapter, of any size and any place left off, and I'll only post on one story until it is finished, so I really hope you guys like Insomniatic Insanity because I'm LOVING it... And while I'm thinking this, what is Naruto's sexy no jutsu in japanese?**

**Anyways, I present chapter seven:**

**Chapter Seven:**

**next task**

I was sitting up in bed, practising different types of knots, and handsigns for a new jutsu (Fire style: fireball no jutsu), and was almost bored out of my mind. Gaara had ban books, so my only source of entertainment were those that came in and talked to me. Sakura sat beside the bed now, grinding down the herbs for the massage oil, she was making a special blend.

"So, Sakura, who do you like most in this little Konoha squad...?" I asked, retrying the hand signs.

"Probably... Kakashi-sensei, why?"

"I meant by attractiveness."

"Oh... then forget Kakashi, it's probably Naruto... not that I like him like that."

"Dang. That's dissapointing."

"Why?" She looked up at me, her face confused and curious. I grinned.

"Because Naruto is head over heals for you."

"And I'm head over heals, whether it's over a lost cause or not."

"So move on."

"I can't just forget Sasuke-kun!"

"Then don't. I didn't say get over him, I said move on. Grieve, but love again."

"Oh, then what do you suggest?"

"Go up and eskimo kiss Naruto."

"Um... Eskimo kiss? Naruto? What?"

"Eskimo kissing is where you get as close as possible, wrapped around eachother and the girl is dominant as she shove her tongue-"

"Allright, back to jutsu and enough with the chit-chat."

**X.x.X.x.X**

"Oh yeah! I'm back in action!" I stood on the ground, steady. I had recovered, though it had only taken a week, and was ready to train again. My mood quickly dropped. Konoha would be leaving soon, and there would be no one but Temari and the villagers to save me from Gaara... It was almost enough to make me want to quit. But not quite.

"Well, good then. I have your next task." I turned to see Gaara reclining against my doorway, smirking lightly at some inside joke.

"What is it then?"

"I'm not telling you." I blanched. This was ridiculous. I glared up at Gaara, a light pink touching his cheeks, and walked by him.

"Allright," I didn't tell him I wanted to know, and badly.

"Oh, by the way, you have until the Konoha shinobi sqaudrant leaves."

"WHAT?!!" I wheeled around on my heels, glaring at Gaara. "This isn't funny, Gaara-samma..." I hissed, glaring like some Medusa on acid. He just smirked wider.

"Of course not," there was a sickeningly happy lilt to his voice, like a wolves howl before a meal. I shivered.

"Then tell me my task."

"Nope."

"What can I do to receive it?"

"Beg. Like a dog, or whatever animal you currently resemble." I sneered at him, subconciously smoothing my hair as I glared venemously at him.

"Impertenent wretch of a duck..." I growled under my breath. I took a large, deep breath, ignoring his smile, and got on one knee.

"Hands and knees, and insulting me won't help your cause."

"You are enjoying this _way_ to much," I growled out ferociously, moving to both knees. He gestured for me to get on my hands and knees.

"Of course," he replied mildly. I calmed myself down and bowed on my hands and knees before him.

"Please oh great Kazekage-samma, give me your mercy and tell which task shall be my next?"

"Nice theatrics. All you have to do is learn the sexy no jutsu from Naruto." I exploded, getting onto my feet and slapped Gaara full on, hard enough to turn his cheek, to fast for his sand to do more than slice at my arm.

What's with me and getting injured lately? Do I have a death wish.

Obviously.

**A/N: Instant Jello, guys'!! Well, I'm on an MCR hook, and listening to Mama on repeat right now...**

**Anywho, please tell me what you think Gaara should do in reaction, kays?**

**Ninja-Hidden-In-The-Paddocks- I agree, there should be a law, but I enjoy torturing you... but I atleast hope you liked this one and the last one, and I'm having trouble deciding if he should react and hospitalize her or not... which one is more Gaara-in-love?**

**Cheeky half-demon: thanks for the review! Glad you like it!**


	8. Sexy no jutsu pt 1

**A/N: Jello, luvs!**

**I'm back for the day, and unfortunately had accidently deleted this entire chapter, so forgive me if this is out later than midnight tonight... Ano, my japanese is improving greatly, so there will be some japanese words at random spots.**

**Ano, continue!**

**Chapter Eight:**

**Sexy No Jutsu**

My hand struck his cheek, a loud slapping noise echoing. His sand wrapped in a hailstorm around my arms, slicing and getting under the skin as he glared. I winced, biting my cheek to keep from screaming. The sand wrapped down my arm and to my shoulder, swirling in a tornado around us. I gasped for air, and was unable to stop a shreik of pain. Suddenly, the sand fell to the ground. I dropped to my knees, staring at the ground.

Gaara's eyes were wide, and he reached forward to touch my hair, but I shoved his arm away, stood up and slammed the door in his face. Tears broke through as I bandaged and cleaned my raw wound. With a deep breath, I walked out of the room. Gaara was gone, just a small pile of sand on the ground.

I kicked it, screaming and animalistic sound of rage, only to see a note fly in the air. I scrambled to catch it, wincing as my arm protested, as well as the rest of my body, and unfolded it.

_-I did not mean to-_

The note was signed with a blood splatter and grains of sand. Gaara's blood and sand. This was probably the first time he had apologized his entire life.

For some reason I still cannot explain, tears again sprung to my eyes. I gulped, taking a deep breath, and for another reason unknown, I stuffed the paper in my shirt for safe keeping. I still never take it away.

I walked down the halls and kept my head down, figuring out how to go about.

I didn't want to learn that jutsu as my first jutsu, but it would be easy, basically just changing my clothes and adding some glamour... But I also didn't want Naruto to see me like that, because if I messed up... it would show them. I couldn't risk that, I just couldn't. But I couldn't lose... I had to beat Gaara.

So it was decided.

CRASJH!! **(Yes, I know there is a J in there, but as a sound effect that is how I spell it)**

I scrambled to prop myself up on my elbows to see Lee. Thank god, I still have to figure out how to ask Naruto without everyone knowing.

"Kairi-chan?! Are you allright? I'm so sorry I knocked you over, I wasn't watching-" My stomach chose to shut him up before I did with a loud growl.

"Um.... Ano, was that your stomach?" I flushed, nodding. He broke out into a wide grin and held out his hand. I got up without his help. He shrugged it off and dropped his hand.

"Unfortunately. If it had been me I would've tried to hurt you by now."

"Tried?"

"I'm not exactly strong enough to hurt a full-fledged ninja yet, Lee. I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were."

"You implied it."

"No I didn't."

"I'm not negotiating, I know what you said."

"Ano, Kairi-chan... let's just drop it, allright?" He said. He seemed exaughsted.

"Were you out training last night?" Lee flushed, but shrugged. I knew something was up but didn't bother asking. I could find out later. We headed towards the kitchen, which was the one room I could find just by following my nose. Kankuro was trying to cook again, and that is how I found it.

"Kankuro, is that bacon?" I asked, leaning over his shoulder. He furrowed his brows and followed my finger.

"How did you think that's bacon? It's rice." He defended. It was a shriveled up, black, crisp strip.

"I still think it looks like burnt bacon."

"You're mean, Kairi-chan. Would you cook to make it up to me?"

"You know I was going to cook anyways so loose the theatrics."

He grinned and stepped aside. I started by shoving everything into the trash, including a few dishes that would never be the same. You think living in the Kazekage mansion they'd have maids or something, but nope, Gaara 'didn't beleive in servants'. What about helping hands, huh?

But of course I wasn't stupid enough to ask. And I know what your thinking, this coming from the girl who slapped him? Yep. Stupid, but doesn't ask stupid questions, that's me for ya.

"Kankuro, why don'g you guys have chefs?" Lee asked.

"Watashi wa iie shiru." He replied with a shrug. Well, that answers my question.

"How many people are eating?" I asked.

"Naruto, Kakashi, Lee, me, Sakura, Temari, Sai, Gai... and that's all."

"So how many?"

"You're the ninja in training, do the math."

"I'm tired, and in pain. You do the math."

"Your muscles? Maybe you should take another day."

"Hardly, I wish it were my muscles."

"Wait... why is your arm bandaged." I suddenly didn't want to tell him, because if what people were saying was true, it might cause Kankuro to get mad at Gaara.... and I didn't want that to happen.

"I felt like it. I was being sarcastic, it's the muscles."

"Don't lie to me Kairi." Well, if he wouldn't listen to reason... I decided to turn around and ignore him. I heated up the stove to medium, grabbed some mixing supplies, a bowl larger than my head, some eggs, flower, baking soda, sugar, salt, milk and shortening. I mixed the dry ingredients together first.

"Kuro-kun, can you get eggs, cream, pepper, some more salt, cheese, ham, and your favorite veggies?" Kankuro nodded and set them down on the counter while I mixed all the wet ingredients for the pancakes together.

"Can I help, Kairi-chan?" Lee asked sweetly. I nodded.

"Yep, pound pepper, salt and some teriyaki juice into the ham and then dice it, please." He went to work. "Kuro-kun, ano ne, can you grate the cheese, all of it, kudasai?" He nodded and got to work himself. I made large pancakes the size of the pan, and large omeletes for us all. Kankuro, Lee and all the others were sitting at the table.

I was getting out juice and milk to send out in Naruto's awaiting arms (he was beign my server) when I saw whipped cream. Without a seconds thought, I whipped out (Lol...) a large fruitsalad. As Naruto set out the other foods on the table and Sakura set the places, I moved to place the fruitsalad on the table in front of Kankuro. In a motion to fast for me to see, he snapped his hand out and gripped my bandaged arm. I shreiked out of surprise and pain, dropping to the floor, desperately dragging my wrist free and craddling it.

"Sarcasm?" He growled. He got on his feet in front of me, taking my chin in his hands. He stared into my eyes. "What happened?"

"I hurt my arm, that's all." I hissed, averting my eyes. It hurt me to lie to him, I didn't like it one bit, not one bit at all. Even partial truths hurt. My chest squeazed painfully, and I winced as he moved up my long white sleeve to reveal the bandage that wrapped around my shoulder. It had bled through in a few places.

"Kairi-chan... please tell me the whole truth..." He whispered, his voice raw with some sort of emotion. I didn't really want to know which one.

"Kankuro, my arm was shredded and skinned, and I won't tell you how. I don't want to hurt you." I whispered back. His eyes narrowed, and in an act of rage, he slammed his fist on the floor, cracking the delicate wood. I jumped and whimpered, curling in on myself.

I don't know why I was so scared.

"Dammit, Kairi!" He cursed. "You're my friend, I care about you! Can't you see that?!"

"Hai..." I whimpered, my body shaking.

"So tell me who the hell fucked your arm up so I can tear them back up!" He shouted. I closed my eyes, something hitting memory.

_A little girl hid under the bed._

_"You little fucker! I married you and you let this happen?!"_

_"I didn't mean to... I was drunk!" She screamed back at him. The little girl had tears streaming down her cheeks, but her sobs were soundless._

_"So you slept with my best friend?!" The woman hit the ground with a cry. She saw the little girl from the corner of her eye. "Kairi...!" She whispered out, her voice shocked and hoarse. The man leaned down and dragged the crying, but silent, girl out from under the bed by her ankles and held her in the air._

_"Spying, you little bitch?!" He snapped, and slammed a fist into her cheek._

"STOP IT!!!"


	9. sexy no jutsu pt 2

**A/N: I'm back, and I'm sorry I couldn't update in a while! I went on a deviantart stretch and did a bunch of stuff fr that, now I just have to upload it all! I'll post my deviant art link later, 'cause I'm gonna draw Kairi, but until then, I hope you enjoy this (hopefully) extremely long chapter.**

**Also, the stories rating will be hightened because I will give Kairi some flashbacks, as well as make her loose some things, but until then, don't worry! And there will be NO lemons! My teachers might get ahold of this.**

**Also, I know I based Kairi off of me, and other people off of real people, but none of her flash backs are real situations, so friends, don't freak out.**

**Kairi: You better use pencil, I don't want my hips to wide!**

**Kankuro: Since when did you care about that?**

**Kairi: Since she actually decided to DRAW me!!**

**Kankuro: Oh.... *backs away slowly***

**Kairi: WAIT?!! DID YOU JUST CALL ME FAT?!!!**

**Shoot, there they go again...**

**Chapter Nine:**

**Sexy no jutsu part two**

"STOP IT!!" Kairi screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She scrambled to her feet, wincing as she ran down the halls, sliding past anybody into the house. She was nothing when she ran, and she liked that. No emotion, no pain, no thoughts, just the instinct to flee. Pure animolocity, something she quickly learned to treasure.

As she was running out the doors of the kazekage mansion, the doors slamming behind her, she smacked into someones chest. The force sent her sprawling backwards. Kairi, ignoring the voice of Naruto, just got back to her feet and continued running.

Sometime later, she was no longer keeping track of time, something slammed into her from behind and sent her to the grassy, muddy ground, a heavy weight straddling her. The person that had knocked her down turned her over, so that she could see.

Bright, cerulean-blue eyes stared down at her, shouting something.

_An eleven year old girl ran from the bus stop in front of the school, straight to the back courtyard. She huddled up by the tree, knees in her chest, rain pelting her as she was able to cry without any one seeing. Suddenly, feet appeared walking towards her. She followed them up to a pair of bright cerulean eyes._

_"Kairi? Are you allright?" Shika asked._

_"H-How do you know my name...?" Kairi whimpered. The boy crouched in front of her, brushing his wet hair from his face._

_"Because you're my friend."_

"KAIRI!! Kairi, dammit, snap out of it!" Naruto shouted, shaking her shoulders. Kairi blinked up into his face, eyes wide, tear tracks staining her cheeks.

"Mnnh... Naru-kun, d-don't yell... p-please don't yell..." She whimpered, turning her head to the side as she used the back of her arm to wipe away the tears. Naruto softened, sitting up straighter, but still holding her down and straddling her.

"Kairi, what were you running from?" He whispered, worried about spooking the girl further.

"I... I don't know..." She murmured. Truthfully, she didn't. Was she running from Kankuro? The nightmares? Gaara? Naruto? The yelling? Or just everything?

"Alright... you want to train with me? Distract you or something?"

This would be the best time to ask.

"Um, actually, yeah... but Naruto, I'm telling you now I'm an ameteour.... and also, can you teach me a jutsu?"

"Sure! Which one? Dopple ganger? Shadow clones? Transformation? Summoning? Rasengan? Though I doubt you can do the last one."

"Actually... can you teach me Sexy no jutsu?"

"WHAT?!!" The boy exploded, flailing and falling off of her. Well, atleast it got him off, she mused to herself. The boy had a slightly bloody nose, wide, startled eyes, and twitching hands. She couldn't resist a giggle. Naruto relaxed. "Oh... you were joking..."

"Um, actually, I'm serious Naruto. I need to learn it."

"May I ask why? I mean, is Gaara getting some sick fantasies or...?"

"I don't know, but actually right now, me and Gaara aren't exactly talking."

"Why? What did he do?"

"You automatically assume that it was him, Naru-kun? I didn't know you thought that of him."

"I dont'. It's just his temper." Naruto sat up, crossing his legs and playing with the zipper on his jacket. Kairi sat up as well. "Not to mention you're to pretty to do something wrong, Kairi-chan." He added, thinking about it. The funny part was he wasn't flattering or complimenting her, that was his honest opinion. God, the boy is naiive, Kairi thought.

"Wait... so what did you do then?" Naruto asked.

"Can I trust you Naruto? You won't tell anyone and you won't flip out?"

"You didn't sleep with him, did you?" Kairi's eyes flew wide, then narrowed, and she slapped him.

"OW!! What was that for?!" He whined, cupping his cheek.

"You perverted dolt! No, I'm a virgin thank you very much!"

"Really? I just thought because of the sexy no jutsu 'n' all..." She glared hard at him and he trailed off the sentanct.

"No. Is it really so hard to believe I'm a virgin?"

"Actually, yes. Most shinobi aren't by the time they're thirteen... oh, wait, you do know that Gaara and Kankuro aren't virgins, right? After all, they're sixteen and eighteen." Kairi's mouth fell open, she blinked stupidly.

"Uh... wow... That's.... disgusting." She finished, making a face and squirming slightly. Naruto quirked a brow.

"Really? Even bushy brows isn't a virgin anymore."

"Wait, anymore?" Naruto gained a sullen look and nodded. He seemed upset by this fact, unlike all the others. "Is THAT why he was so tired this morning? EW!!" Kairi screeched, shivering. Naruto covered his ears.

"Kami, you're loud!" He cried. "And yeah, that is."

"Who with? Please tell me it wasn't Temari..."

"It wasn't."

"Sakura?" Naruto's eyes darkened and he stiffened. Kairi sighed, standing up and wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry, Naruto...."

"Not your fault Kairi, though, you gotta be careful. I don't know what your rules are on sex, but if they are pretty strict, get some less... appealing clothes, or.... well, let's just say Gaara takes victoms, and lets the shukaku take over, allright?" Kairi nodded, biting back a whimper. That was good advice, and very, very disturbing. Kairi released Naruto and stepped back.

"So do you think that... certain thing.... is why Gaara wants me to learn this jutsu?" Kairi asked. Naruto quirked a brow before realization crossed, as they were beginning stretching.

"You mean sex?" Kairi flushed and turned her head away. Naruto laughed, shaking his head at Kairi's innocent antics. "I honestly couldn't tell, because the sexy no jutsu is pretty important. It teaches you to enhance your chakra to your physical being, you have to control it very carefully, it shows you how to change your appearance, which is vital for undercover missions, or missions in general, it can be used as a distraction mechanism, and it's also rather easy to learn."

"Really? All of that?" Naruto nodded, and they set to work.

**X.x.X.x.X**

"Again." Naruto called out.

Kairi shook her head.

"C'mon, Kai-chan, I know you have enough chakra left." Again, she shook her head. "Why not? You do this everyday." They had been training for four days like this. Gaara still wasn't talking to her, and neither was Kankuro. Temari seemed suspicious, but didn't ask.

"Because. God, you're worse than Gaara-kazekage-sensei."

"Now you know that isn't true! I'm insulted!" Naruto snapped back. "Do it again!"

"No! Great Kami, Uzumaki, I have my reasons! I won't do it again." Naruto glared, took a deep breath, and relaxed. He walked back up to Kairi.

"Alright, I'll trust your judgement, and we'll start back up tomorrow, here, at noon, allright?" Kairi nodded, and without another word, ran through the village to the kazekage mansion, and up to her room. Once inside, she shut the door, and groaned. She sunk to her knees, leaning against the door, and unbandaged her arm. She'd have to learn some healing from Sakura, eventually.

The wound was bloody, bright red, raw, and scabbed in a few places. A bruise blossomed around her raw arm, and a sickening smell came off of it. She gasped, turning her face away, before going into her bathroom. She took a shower, crying the entire time from the pain. After the shower, she bandaged the wound carefully, putting on some antiseptic, and got dressed in something else.

Kairi pulled her hair up into a ponytail, she would need it cut soon, and put on a dash of makeup. Tonight, she was going to explore the village in depth, at night, when it's the best time, with the most fun. Now, being thirteen (no one but her knew her birthday had been last week) she couldn't do much without someone a little older.

While planning the places she wanted to see first, and about how much yen she would need, Kairi got dressed. She pulled on a net shirt, and net pants over her black lace bra and panties before grabbing some perfume. It was jasmine nightflower, something Temari had thought she would find usefull. After all, it's important for female shinobi to enjoy being a woman as well. She pulled on a black T-shirt that said 'queen of the fucking universe' in bright green. She pulled on a dark green sweater with a black cheetah pattern over that, and a black miniskirt. She pulled on black boots over her netted feet, and black fingerless gloves on her hands. She painted her nails lime green, and strapped a kunai pouch under neath her skirt. She hadn't learned quite how to use them, but it shouldn't be that hard, and she might need defense. With a finishing touch she tied a black and green glow in the dark bandana around her neck, and grabbed her black skull and studded wallet. She counted the money.

She had around 400,000 yen in there. Gaara had given her an allowance, so to speak, in an attempt to get her out of the house. With a grin, she stuffed it in her kunai pouch, and walked out into the hall. Now she was ready. She walked down the hall to the guest rooms, where the Konoha nin were staying, and knocked on Naruto's door. No answer. She knocked again, and someone tapped her on her shoulder. She jumped, squeaking slightly, and turned to see Naruto.

"You need to work on your awareness." He observed lightly. "Anywho, looking for me?" Kairi nodded. "What can I do for you, Kai-chan? And why are you all dressed up?"

"I need an over-sixteen person, preferably a shinobi that's a close friend, to accomadate me tonight. I'm going to explore the village, have some fun, and wondered if you wanted to come."

"Sure. Are we inviting anyone else?"

"If Kankuro, Gaara, Lee, Sakura, Sai, or Temari want to come."

"Sure, I'll get Lee, Sakura and Sai, and get ready, why don't you go get Gaara and Kankuro and Temari, and we'll meet in the kitchen?"

"Sounds great. See you in a bit, Naru-kun!" Kairi kissed Naruto's cheek in a friendly manor, and raced off down the halls to the kazekage family bedrooms. She stopped at Temari's first. She knocked on the door, but a tall, broadshouldered man opened it, dawned in a bathrobe. Kairi's mouth fell open, and with a muttered apology moved on to the next room. It seemed Temari was to busy to come.

"Wow..." She murmured before knocking on Kankuro's door. Kankuro answered it, thankfully.

"Kari-chan? What are you so dressed up for? And in a skirt?"

"I'm aloud to be female, Kankuro."

"Alright, I was jsut teasing... I've gotta go, so what do you want?"

"Well, if you have to go... wait, why?"

"Um... because... I have to fix... Crow?" He offered. Kairi narrowed her eyes.

"You're lying. Tell me, I don't care if it offends me."

"Kairi-chan, I'm not aloud to be around you... Gaara would whoop me for it." Kairi's eyes lowered. She had forgotten.

"Oh... I don't want to get you in trouble, Kankuro-san... it's just... it would mean alot to me... please..." She said softly. Kankuro sighed.

"I can't." And he shut the door before Kairi could argue. She flinched audibly, trying not to cry and mess up her makeup. She didn't know why, but the blatant rejection, the fact that she risked her life to see him practically everyday, and he wouldn't even go out for one night, hurt alot. Her chest squeazed painfully, and Kairi let a dry sob escape her, before reigning everything in and going to Gaara's door. Her heart beat in her chest, faster and stronger then normal, as if it would break free.

I'm afraid, Kairi thought. Why?

She didn't bother to ask herself if she was really afraid, and if so, why. She raised a shaking hand and knocked on the door. What answered made her gasp.

Gaara stood in the door, a towel tied around his waist, his smooth, white chest wet, some thin hairs dripping water. His hair hung wet around his face, and some blood was smeared at the corner of his face. He blinked, and his eyes were a dark yellow, something that seemed odd but emotional to her.

"Mmm... How can I help you pretty one?" A scratchy voice asked, coming Gaara. Realization hit Kairi, right before her fear did. It was Shukaku.

"U-Um... is Gaara here?" She couldn't resist staring at the body though. Even if the eyes and soul weren't Gaara, the body was his, and it was... well, it was sexy, she couldn't word it differently.

"This is him..." The voice purred.

"Oh... I thought you were..."

"Shukaku? Silly, do you really think we're seperate? I am Gaara, and I am Shukaku. He is Gaara and he is Shukaku. He is a demon as much as I am, and I have the same human needs as he. So speak, pretty one."

"Oh... I was wondering if Gaara... I mean you, I think.... would like to go out tonight with some of the Konoha visitors?"

"Will there be food...?"

"If there are resteraunts open-" Kairi started, but Gaara/Shukaku interrupted her.

"Not human food, demon food."

"Forgive me, Gaara-samma," She settled with that title, and tried to comprehend her situation, "but what is Demon Food?"

"Blood, virginity, childrens souls, the works..." Gaara-samma listed. She grimaced, and settled with Shukaku, that wasn't Gaara, or atleast she hoped not.

"No... there won't be."

"But you have blood, virginity and a childrens soul... I could always satiate myself with you."


	10. A Night In The City

**A/N: YAY!! I got Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 1 & 2 today, as well as Final Fantasy Dawn of Souls 1 & 2, and Pokemon quartz, so I am a happy woman. Anywho, in order to celebrate, I am sending Kairi out, very confused about herself, with a bunch of guys who like to drink... and I will do my best to keep out all of the violence and stuff... not to mention Gaara will be switching between Shukaku and himself around Kairi from now on.... This should get interesting. And it's the big 1-0!!**

**p.s.**

**Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Metallica, Naruto or Laurell K. Hamiltons vampire strip club, Guilty Pleasures.**

**Chapter Ten:**

**A night on the streets**

**Review:**

_"Will there be food...?"_

_"If there are resteraunts open-" Kairi started, but Gaara/Shukaku interrupted her._

_"Not human food, demon food."_

_"Forgive me, Gaara-samma," She settled with that title, and tried to comprehend her situation, "but what is Demon Food?"_

_"Blood, virginity, childrens souls, the works..." Gaara-samma listed. She grimaced, and settled with Shukaku, that wasn't Gaara, or atleast she hoped not._

_"No... there won't be."_

_"But you have blood, virginity and a childrens soul... I could always satiate myself with you."_

**X.x.X.x.X**

"I... I beg your pardon?" Kairi asked, eyes wide, breath heavy, sweating and licking her lips... out of fear and something else.

"Hmmm.... I seem to have excited you. That doesn't normally happen." Shukaku stepped forward and placed his hands on her hips. Kairi went rigid, her breath hitching, and images flashing in front of her.

_A child lay on the large king-sized bed, chained to the post by the ankle and only covered by the black and crimson silks._

_A toddler was flung across the room by a slap._

_A man fell to the ground, a bullet in his head as a little girl stared at her father, holding the smoking gun._

When Kairi came to, she had collapsed to her knees, and Gaara was shaking her, his eyes aquamarine.

"Kair-chan? Are you allright? Please tell me I didn't do anything... C'mon, Kairi, look at me, say something... anything..." The words he whispered were desperate and pleading. Just then Kankuro opened his door and peered down the hall. He narrowed his eyes at what he saw. Within a second, he had stormed over, shoved Gaara away, and had taken Kairi's chin in his hands. She blinked up at him, tears forming.

"Kairi-chan? What happened? Did he hurt you?" Gaara stood silently by his doorway, arms crossed, eyes cold but sparking with something in their oceanic depths. Kairi tried to look at him, but Kankuro held her chin firm. "Kairi, you need to tell me what happened."

"I... I just fainted, that's all," she lied, voice sing-songy, distant. She blinked, furrowing her brow, and shooting a glance to Gaara. Kankuro didn't buy it, it was obvious by the venemous glare he sent Gaara, but he got to his feet and helped Kairi up. He held her close to his chest for a milisecon, hugging her as tight as he could before letting go.

"So... may I join you tonight?" He asked. Kairi nodded. Kankuro was dressed in a pair of slacks, a white dress shirt with rolled up sleeves, a loose black tie and a black blazer. No makeup. She blushed slightly. He looked good. She nodded, smiling at the ground, then looked up at Gaara.

"What are you doing tonight?" He nearly growled out, looking at Kankuro's arm around her pointedly. Kankuro rolled his eyes and released her waist. Kairi's heart slowed, and her body cooled slightly, but she still felt like she was holding her breath.

"Me, you two, and some of the others are going into the village to hang out tonight."

"Us?" Gaara asked.

"Yep. You and Kankuro, or do I have to drag you there myself?" She joked.

"Try." Kairi didn't reply, because she knew very well she couldn't, but waited patiently while Gaara got ready. He came out in five minutes, cleaned up, hair spiked, and dressed in skinny jeans, converse and a loose Metallica T-shirt.

"You like Metallica?" Kairi asked as they walked towards the kitchen. Gaara shrugged. _Well, I guess it's predictable... all hard rock n' all..._ Kairi thought with a shrug. As she was walking, she could practically feel Gaara close beside her, his breath hitting the back of her neck almost, making her feel like she was shivering, and very, very warm. Kankuro was close as well, and his movements contradicted Gaara's. He made her feel ice, like it put out the burn, but that did make her shiver. Kankuro smirked subtly, and Kairi nearly punched him for whatever was going on, but decided against it.

When they reached the kitchen, Kakashi leaned against a wall reading Icha Icha, Kairi didn't bother to ask why the man was here, it was just something about Kakashi that seemed like he _should_ know everything and be everywhere. Naruto was digging around for a cookie in the cookie jar, another one already in his mouth, and when he saw Gaara, Kankuro and Kairi all quirking brows at him he flushed and scrambled to hide the blatant evidence. Lee was doing pushups on one finger, counting to pass the time, which seemed as normal for him as he could. Last, and probably least, was the gay and incredibly sexy Sai, who just watched curiously, until he saw the three sand nin.

"Tell me... are you what Gai-sensei calls a threesome?" Sai asked. Kairi gaped at him, trying to understand how to answer, and fumbling with her words. Kankuro stumbled and Gaara glared. He shot another glare at Kankuro and growled his answer.

"No."

_Awe, shoot... Sibling rivalry, and it's all my fault._

_**I wouldn't worry.**_

_Holy shit, who's that...?!!_

_**You.**_

_You mean I'm talking to myself... but I'm not, because you aren't me, yet you say you are so... I'm crazy?_

_**Hardly. I'm a part of you.**_

"Kairi-chan? Are you allright?" Kankuro asked, leaning over her, his features soft and concerned. "You're doing this alot lately. It can't be good for your brain." Kairi glared at him and smacked him on the back of the head. Naruto snickered, and Gaara smirked slightly.

"Glad I'm amusing... So where do you guys want to go first?"

"The bar?" Sai offered. "Is that not a popular place to visit?" Kairi shook her head, ignoring all the others who agreed.

"Kairi-chan? Why not? The bar is fun." Lee questioned.

"Um..." Suddenly, she really, really didn't want to share it... and she couldn't remember why. She furrowed her brow, and settled for lying to them. She didn't want to worry them. "I just don't like it," she said with a shrug. Naruto rolled his eyes, coming up and dragging her out the door, the others following.

"Then I'll make you like it," he said with a laugh. "After all, Sunagakure is home to the Land of Fire's best _vampire_ night club, Guilty Pleasures!" Kairi paled as Naruto dragged her down the twilight highlighted streets of Sunagakure, lights shining out across the village.

They finally slid to a stop infront of a large warehouse, and Kairi yanked free of Naruto. The others were smiling, and getting out their ID's. Gaara raised his hand, and stopped them. They all looked at him.

"I am Kazekage of Sunagakure, put those away." They grinned and nodded. Gaara led them to the front of a small line of about six people, who all gaped and pointed at him, and spoke to the gaurd. With a nod, he opened the door and walked in. Three seconds later he walked out with a tall brown-haired man. He wore ruffly clothing, and his hair fell to his waist, wavy and pulled back by black hairclips. He smiled, and some strange feeling washed over Kairi. She suddenly wanted to run.

The man bowed.

"Konban wa, Kazekage-samma. I am Jean-Claude, owner of Guilty Pleasures. How may I be of assistance?"

"Me and my friends wish to join in the activities of the night, but also wish that it not be known... if you understand what I mean, that is."

"Of course. The young lady is only thirteen, correct?"

"No, twelve." I lowered my head sheepishly and shook it.

"My birthday was about a week ago, Gaara-kazekage-sensei..." Kairi murmured. Gaara blinked, and then nodded slowly.

"Correction, yes, she is thirteen. The blonde and raven-haired boys are only sixteen, themselves."

"Very well, I can arrange this. Come in, we are about to begin." With a bow, he dissapeared inside, and the gaurd with a bow, opened the door wide, and smiled, fangs flashing. Kairi flinched. Gaara nodded, smirking slightly, and walked inside. Naruto dragged Kairi inside by her wrists with Lee's help, and Kakashi had put his book away.

The large group took a seat in a booth table. Kankuro and Gaara sat on either side of her, Naruto beside Gaara, Lee beside Naruto, Kakashi beside Kankuro and Sai beside Kakashi. Kankuro yawned, his arm casually draping over Kairi's shoulders. She flinched, and stiffened, more aware but didn't move it. She was done with the arguing tonight, and intended to have fun.

Suddenly, the lights went out and a large stage was highlighted in dark blue lights. A tall, beautiful man stood there, smiling, fang flashing. He was a vampire. Kairi shivered. Who would've thought that Sunagakure had vampiric rights?

"Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to Guilty Pleasures, where your darkest fantasies come true."

**A/N:**

**Cheeky half-demon: Yes, Shukaku is a bit of a pervert, but that's because he's more animal than human. Thanks for the support through the story, and a bit of a sneak-peak for you, do you remember the man that appeared to her in chapter two? He's coming back. Also, Gaara isn't being perverted about the sexy no jutsu, as Naruto explained... anywho, hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**And thanks to my unknown reviewer!**


	11. Phillip and Robert

**A/N: Well, today has been absolutely crappy... anyways, it will improve, writing always seems to help, but I realized a strange philosophy in fanfictions... We always tend to have their lives in the beginning absolutely horrible, and then in the story we strip them of everything. We leave them raw for the other characters to eat and erode, yet they almost always live through it and end up in a hopeless happily-ever-after romance... And that's almost exactly what life is. We go through torture, pain, everything we can handle until it pushes us over the edge. We even fall in love, hopelessly in love, though that rarely works out... there are still happy memories, and no matter how small, why give up? The happy memories still conquer all other things... the small smiles are the most treasurable parts of our lives.**

**Kankuro: Are you done being Dr. Phiplup.**

**Do I look like a PIPLUP to you?**

**Kankuro: No.**

**Do I look like Dr. Phil?**

**Kankuro: Yes.**

**Do I honestly look like an old man?!!**

**Kankuro: Yes. I'm pretty sure you aren't female.**

**Do you want proof I AM?!!**

**Kankuro: Uh, the story starts now! No time! Bye, bye!**

**CHICKEN!! GET BACK HERE!!!**

**Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Laurell K. Hamilton, or Masashi Kishimoto's characters... I just love them to death, and I'm pretty sure I own the eggnogg used to make this... anywho, Philip and Robert are sexy to the end, and Jean-Claude is a God, litteraly, in Laurell K.'s story, but I don't think I did them justice so read them in Laurell K. Hamilton's Guilty Pleasures, and all fifteen other Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels!**

**Chapter Eleven:**

**Phillip and Robert**

This was definnitely something that Gaara would like, and that was proved by his eager attention to the stage, a small, disturbing smile on his lips. One eye was aqua, the other yellow, it seemed that Shukaku was enjoying the show as well.

"Welcome, ladies and gentleman, to Guilty Pleasures, where your darkest fantasies come true. My name is Robert and I shall be your host tonight." A sweep of power swept through the audience and a shiver went down Kairi's spine, but that was the worst, an instant, passing feeling of fear and pleasure.

Kankuro leaned down to whisper by her ear. "Because of our chakra, we are almost completely blocked from the mind games." Kairi nodded.

"First of all, let me assure you all everything we do here is completely safe, no harm will come to anyone, well, without their permission of course," that remark was highlighted by a flash of fangs and as sly smile, the man winked a woman in the audience, who squealed, and giggled.

Robert had longish blonde hair that fell around his features artfully. He was tall, lean, and deathly pale, glowing in the lighting. His eyes were a dark, endless black that, since he was a vampire, would litterally suck you in and chew your mind up. It wasn't the peacefull, calming sucking and endless black, it was the terrifying one.

"So please do not panic." He nodded, took a sweeping bow and stepped to the back of the stage. "Allow me to introduce Guilty Pleasures's pet, Phillip."

An elegant, gorgeous twenty-eight-year-old man with golden-brown eyes that twinkled dangerously stepped out. He had short hazel-brown hair that just barely sweeped his eyes. He was dressed in tight, slitted leathers, and scars from vampire bites covered his neck and collarbone.

Fast, pounding music started, which Kairi immediately knew would either be stuck in her head for all of eternity or give her a painful headache, started. With the slow, back pounding that highlighted the fast guitar strings, Phillip moved his hips, dancing lightly on the stage. Kairi flushed and turned away, slightly bothered that the boys were paying attention, but something about their attention seemed to be anticipation, not entertainment. They were waiting for a later part of the show.

Suddenly, Phillip was in the audience, walking around the different tables, toying with girls, leaving chaste kisses as he slowly removed his shirt and tossed it to the floor. Suddenly, hands full of cash in girls hands, were waving in the air. He walked up to a lady, who promptly shoved the money down the front of his pants, and he leaned down. The kiss was long, passionate, and almost intimate, a flash of an image appeared before Kairi, cutting out the scene.

_A teenage boy pinned his girlfriend to the wall, taking her lips in his._

Kairi shook her head, ignoring Kankuro's worried glance, and blushed, but distracted herself with watching the show. The girl in the memory hadn't been her, but she felt she should know the boy. It was getting scary and confusing, why couldn't she remember anything? Kairi blinked and focused on the show. The girl had been let to fall back into her seat, dazed and in a never-ending cycle of passion. Phillip smirked, and walked back around. His eyes caught Kairi's for a split second and a serieses of images bombarded her mind.

_A ten year old boy smiled down at her._

_Brown eyes and dark crimson hair rested on pale, gorgeous small features._

_Arms enveloped her, safe and warm._

_She sat in the lap of a twelve year old boy, smiling lovingly up at him as he read her a story._

_A little toddler and a young girl were being pushed on swings by a young boy._

_Her brother hugged her, and held her tight, gaurding her with his back to a blow from a man._

_Her brother._

_Nii-chan..._

Kairi bit back a gasp, when she came back into reality, Gaara's hand on her shoulder, and Phillip leaning over her. He held out his hand.

"Come with me." He said, his voice a low, husky whisper. She didn't know how she could hear it over the music, but it tickled the back of her neck, hairs raising and a shiver down her spine. Kankuro nudged her, grinning, and without thinking about it, she placed her hand in his and he led her towards the stage.

_Shit,_ Kairi thought. She hadn't expected that, though what else? Right, she was hoping he'd make her leave because she was to young, but no, not even Gaara stopped her from whatever was about to happen. That relaxed Kairi as she stepped up the small staircase onto the stage.

"Dance," he whispered, moving his hips, lowering his hands to hers. Kairi froze, suppressing whatever nightmares were arising, and swung her hips in rythom to his. Sai, Naruto and Lee whisteled, Gai-sensei quickly behind them. Kairi flushed but continued dancing, only stopping when Phillip put his hands in her jacket pockets and pulling her back against his. He brushed his lips over her neck, and her body nearly writhed in reaction. And Kairi couldn't stop it.

He licked a trail along her neck, making her groan, and then he suddenly stepped back, making her stumble and catch herself. Kairi blinked herself back into reality, ignoring the cheering crowd, as Robert stepped onto the stage. Phillip watched from the corner, eyes nearly green with envy.

Robert crossed to her, fangs shining, and she took a terrified step back. He stopped and held out his hand, voice a whisper of velvet along her spine.

"Take my hand, and I promise you will enjoy it..." He purred. Kairi bit her lip, glanced at Naruto, Gaara or Kankuro for encouragement. This certainly hadn't been her idea for the night out, or any sort of entertainment, that was for sure.

Kairi took a deep breath, finding only twisted enjoyment in their eyes as they silently urged her on, and she placed her hands in the vampires death grip. She regretted it instantly as he pressed his body against her, brushing his fangs against the area where Phillip had licked. The vampire's breath came out shaky, and he bit down suddenly.

Kairi screamed, but at the same time a strange sense of pleasure washed over her. Her body trembled as Robert's head came back. He caught her before she fell, and kissed her on the lips, her own blood staining them. A waiter came up, and helped her down the stairs. When Kairi reached the table, Kankuro immediately took her trembling body into his arms. She started to cry, tears silent and streaming as she snuggled into his chest, his arms tight around her.

"Shhh... It's alright, you were wonderful..." He comforted.

"I-It wasn't that..."

It was that she liked it.

**A/N: Thanks for the review, even if it was only one! I love you so much Cheeky half-demon, free jello boxes for you... but I already ate the Jello...**

**Cheeky half-demon: Thanks so much, your support litterally keeps me writing this story everyday, and my writing skills are definitely getting better because of that... not to mention the story keeps getting more and more amazing... Here's your update, dedicated to you, and yes... Vampire night clubs exist in Sunagakure.**

**See ya my fans!**


	12. Remembering

**A/N: Jello, everybody... sorry I haven't been posting, but I wrote five super long chapters for random sections in the story, and you're going to see some good plot... so... here, this long one is my apology for working on the wrong parts of the story, and it's sequel. Yes there will be a sequel.**

**Chapter Twelve:**

**Remembering**

"Kai-chan? Do you want to go home and see a healer?" Naruto asked, cautious as he leaned around Gaara to talk to the girl. She was still sitting in Kankuro's lap, digging a deck of cards from Kankuro's jacket. The show had finally stopped, and now female and male vampire dancers were on stage, stripping and dancing suggestively to loud music. Cups sat in front of them, even Gaara, and four large pitchers with free refils of whiskey sat in the center of the table.

"Who's up for drinking and stripping poker?"

They all looked at her strangely.

"Don't you know it?" They all shook their heads. The 'in-sync' movements started to creep her out a little...

"Are you sure you don't want to go home?" Kankuro asked in worry. The others nodded their agreement. Kairi nodded.

"Nope. I'm hanging out with you guys until dawn, but, I am going to drag you to a ten minute shopping spree with me. I have way to much money." They watched her suspiciously, but all agreed.

"So, explain this game," Sai asked. Kairi nodded.

"It's simple. You play poker, and the two with the worst hands do rock paper scissors. The winner of the rock-paper-scissors gets to choose whether he wants to take a gulp of whiskey or lose an item of clothing, and then you start another round. If you pass out or loose all clothing you lose."

"When you explained this... you phrased it as if _you_ can't lose, Sacrow-san," Kakashi said suspiciously. Kairi blinked, and said what she _knew_ without relying on her shredding memory.

"Um, I can't." She replied simply. Gai-sensei smirked.

"We'll see about that. Konoha's sexy green beast shall win!" Kairi rolled her eyes and dealt out the hand.

**X.x.X.x.X**

An hour later, Gaara hadn't lost a single round, Lee had lost his shirt (which made Kairi see how Sakura had fallen for him, in fact she had lunged at Lee shouting 'sexy' only for Kankuro to restrain her with a strain of insults), Kakashi had taken two shots and was still reading Icha Icha Paradise, number two, Gai was a little dizzy, having lost four rounds to whiskey and two to his shirt and vest, Sai was sitting there in his boxers, still smiling that same annoyingly stupid smile, Naruto had lost his jacket and T-shirt, and a shot, which had made him a tad bit confused, Kankuro had lost his shirt and seven shots, and was grinning, staring at Sai with a twisted look, and Sai was completely unphased. Kairi, obviously, hadn't lost either.

"Hah! Royal flush!" She cried, showing her hand. In fact, she had won everytime. Everyone else revealed their hands, and Sai had lost, as well as Gai.

"Your names rhyme...!!" Naruto randomnly shouted out. "Sai, Gai, Sai, Gai, Gwai, Sdai," the more he repeated the names, the more they slurred, until he suddenly shouted, "Hinata!!! I LOVE HINATA!!!" The boy grinned and passed out. Sai rolled his eyes and began the rock-paper-scissors game...

Sai lost. He shot a glance at the whiskey, then stood up in his seat and started to pull off his boxers. Kairi screamed in fear, and sand wrapped around Sai.

"I beleive it is time we retire from the bar and go on to this shopping trip. Kairi nodded, eyes still wide, shivvering and twitching at the very thought of seeing Sai in his boxers, let alone nude.

She looked over her shoulder to see Gaara hoisting Naruto up with sand, Kakashi poofing Gai and Lee back to their rooms so they could go sleep, the Naruto, and them, once Kankuro had helped Sai dress (rather sensual assistance, to boot, Kami, the man was hilarious when he was drunk, freely admitting he was bi), and Kakashi poofed back with Sai.

Now it was only Kairi, Kankuro and Gaara.

Shit.

"So... where do you want to go?" Kankuro asked. Kairi shrugged, and walked out of the bar. Just as they were leaving, the wound on her neck was covered by a hand. A voice whispered in her ear.

"I'll heal it. My apologies, mon chere," Jean-Claude whispered. Kairi stiffened, and shook away.

"No." She replied shortly, covering it up with a spare bandage from Kankuro and leaving the club with a hasty farewell. Kankuro and Gaara bowed and followed her.

She walked down the roads of Suna. From a sandboarding store, to a tye-dye clothing store, a sports store, a shoe store, a cafe, a pottery company, and the list went on... Suddenly, a brightly lit store caught her attention. It was 'stars and books'. Kairi skipped over to it, and Kankuro and Gaara followed.

"Is this where you want to go?" Kankuro asked, eyeing it. "Don't you want shoes or something?" Kairi shrugged.

"Later." She waved it off and walked in. She went straight to the book section, and started scrolling through. She grabbed one on astronomy, stars, zodiacs (american and chinese), spirituality, star gazing, star charts, and had Gaara get his sand to carry them.

"So what do you want to do with these...?" Kankuro asked as she handed the floating pile of sand a stack of books on philosophy, religion, demons, myths and mythological creatures. She grabbed one about stanic images as well. Gaara quirked a brow.

"I have my reasons. By the way, Gaara-sensei, I've almost completely mastered my assigned jutsu, and I'm sorry. I should have known." Kankuro narrowed his eyes as he pieced things together.

"He's who hurt your arm, isn't he?" Kankuro accused. Kairi was slightly relieved they had left her choice in books alone, but this was worse. Gaara's eyes were downcast, his face completely ashamed.

Kairi suddenly realized she had lived her for three whole weeks... only one until she would complete her deal.

"Dammit, Kairi, unwrap it right now," Kankuro growled. Kairi took a step back, shaking her head in fear. Gaara stepped forward, gripping her wrist and unravelling the bandage. Kairi didn't struggle. If Gaara wanted to do this, then he could.

The wound was still raw and slightly infected, and Kankuro _and_ Gaara gasped. Kairi gulped, looking away.

"Kai-chan... you need that looked at..." Kankuro murmured, eyes wide in shock, fear and worry. Repulsion was in his face, and it suddenly seemed familiar to Kairi. She faced them, taking back her arm and bandaging it back up.

"It's fine." And before they could argue, she stuffed two books in each of their arms. Just as she was heading over to get a telescope, video camera, sketch book, and some star charts... she saw a leather-bound journal. Kairi opened it up, and looked at it. It had a small little skeleton key tied to the front for its lock, and the cover was cracked in a few places. Inside was lined paper, worn yellow and ink stained in a few places. It had been handmade, and a holy symbol of chakra carved in the front. She handed it to the floating sand pile with her other books, and stuffed everything else there.

Kankuro stared.

"How can you afford this?"

"Gaara gave me 400,000 yen in total over these past three weeks," Kairi said nonchallantly. Kankuro laughed.

"I never knew the allowance added up so fast if you saved it..."

Needless to say, Gaara had to lend her 695 yen to cover the journal, but by the look in her eyes, he had no problem.

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi lay in a rundown, cheep sleeping bag. It was her only bed, the only bed she had had in a while. Kairi hugged herself, and suddenly the rumbling of an engine down the road caused her to jump up in fear and race down the stairs. She slid into the kitchen, the baggy sweater and minishorts with holes and patches and slices and stitches allover them gaurding her small, stocky body, and hurridly worked on preparing the dinner. She stuffed it in the hot oven, and it would be warm in fifteen minutes. She hurried on cleaning up, then. Just as she was in the living room, cleaning up the trash with a bag, a large object came in contact with her ass.

She jumped, but didn't scream, and fell to her hands and knees. A foot connected with her stomach, sending her tumbling to the side of the room, banging her head painfully against the plaster wall. Her eyes were glazed and empty, as she lay there. She didn't dare move, didn't stare, didn't even think. It was all to risky.

An hour or so later, since that was all Kairi ever had to was count and work, a motorcycle parked in the driveway, and a college boy in black leathers walked into the room. He set his crimson helmet on the coffee table, and glanced at the girl on the floor. He walked over and helped her sit up. That was when the old, ripped father of there's looked away from the TV and his dinner. He glared.

"She's fine. I didn't kill her. Leave her." He snapped. The boy, who Kairi now recognized as her older brother, turned around. His angry gaze as hot as his red hair looked.

"You selfish old bastard, get over yourself!" He barked. Kairi flinched, and he reached back, his hand gripping hers. She clung to the limb, terrified eyes locked on his back, to scared to face her father.

"Don't use that tone with me, brat."

"I'll do whatever I want, but you leave her alone. Just wait until I'm old enough to take custody of her and you'll be rotting in your meat! I'll kill you for hurting her!" He barked. He was referring to what he had come home to last night with that remark. Kairi broke down crying, and her brother turned, cradling her inside his chest. Suddenly, a studded, sharpened belt struck his back, tearing at his shirt. Her brother winced, but protected her.

He protected her.

Suddenly, the dream changed to Kairi sitting in the same lake, the bloody water washing at the tips of a white yukata. The place in her chest was hole again, unlike the first time.

Her brother stepped out of the water, appearing from no where.

"Hello, Kassandra," he whispered, standing a few feet from her. She stayed sitting, watching him curiously.

"Are you... my brother?" She murmured, biting her lower lip in fear and confusion. He crouched in front of her and nodded.

"I am... and I am not."

"Oh."

"Why are you so haunted, mon chere...?" He asked softly. Kairi looked away from him.

"Why can't I remember you?" She sobbed suddenly. "I can't remember anything, yet I just _know_! It's painful! I can't know things! IT HURTS!!" Her brothers arms quickly enveloped her, holding her close, but his skin felt like silky fur, no trace of that special texture skin held. She hiccuped slightly after she was done crying.

"Do you believe in gaurdian angels...?" He whispered into her ear. She nodded, watching him with careful eyes. He smiled softly. "Good, so do I, you see... I see myself as a... a gaurdian demon of yours..."

And he dissapeared, a voice in her mind whispering one last thing: _I'll never let you get hurt. Cherish love, life and laughs. Love especially._

The entire world where she was a second ago dissapeared, and she found herself in a wide field, leaves everywhere. Gaara stood beside her, and they were raking leaves to the soft sound of jazz music as they worked. Suddenly he turned to her, walked forward boldly, yanked her to him, and pressed his lips to hers.

Kairi shot upright, panting, eyes wide from the dreams. Before she could think clearly, she grabbed her journal and wrote down all of the memories inside it's sealed covers.

**A/N: And special thanks to Cheeky half-demon, my loyal reviewer and best fan! Talk to me, girl!**

**Cheeky half-demon: yep, she got bitten... I just couldn't resist the idea... also, REMEMBER the vampires... they'll becoem very important later, especially my darling, sexy Jean-Claude... and any special one-shot requests? I want to thank you.**


	13. surprise!

**A/N: WOW!!! Jello, luvvas! This is getting really far, thirteen chapters allready?! Well, it's my second longest story on the sight, and I've allready outlined, it's sequel, the rest of this, and everything else.**

**Also, I am voting on what I should name Kairi's brother... which she still has yet to find out! So submit ideas, and I'll write a one-shot for the best one! Or the only submitted idea!**

**Chapter Thirteen:**

**Surprise!**

Kairi spent the next week doing intense training with Naruto, Kakashi, Lee, Gai and Gaara, learning everything she could. She finally mastered the Sexy no jutsu without incident, and with that, was able to easily learn the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, transformation and transportation jutsu with almost no work. They weren't perfect, but they were basic skills. Temari spent nights when she and Kairi couldn't sleep (most nights) and times in the bathroom or just relaxing to educate Kairi about the land of fire, wind, earth, lightning, and water, as well as the kages, ninjas of other villages, other hidden villages, clans and their abilities, the histories of the world and especially about cooking and style. The last two were the most common. Kankuro one sunday morning took her to a Kami shrine, where Kairi was free to ask the priest there about legends and other things. After that, as a special treat, he took her to buy her shinobi supplies, since she would become a full-fledged genin soon enough, which meant he would have to take on a team if he wanted to train her, which he ended up signing up for.

She had picked out a long white yukata and had chopped off the bottom part of the skirt. Underneath, she pulled on black shorts, and black nets and black ninja sandels. She slit the sides of the skirt of the dress, and wrapped a black ninja band around the waist that held hidden weapons. Senbon, Caltron, paper tags, paper bombs, scrolls, kunai, and shuriken were sealed inside the pouches, as well as soldier pills. She pulled on a black net shirt underneath the cut white sleeves of the yukata, got black embroidery on the edges in the shapes of david stars, reverse david stars, and pentagonal stars. She pulled on handgaurds as well as wrist, ankle and shin gaurds. She died her hair black and tied it up.

Gaara didn't aprove at first, but finally settled down.

Her brother still visited her in her dreams, showing her memories, whether they were conversations between her and her friends, fights in her childhood, or probably the most precious.

They were back at the lake, and she asked him something.

"How come I haven't seen my mother?" Her brother, Nii-chan, froze.

"Kassandra..." that name she had learned was her birth name, what her mother had called her, it still squeezed her chest to hear it, painful, not comforting. "You only have one memory of her."

"Then show me."

He nodded, and everything faded away. Kairi found herself standing in what looked like a toddlers nursery. A tall, beautiful women with long silky copper hair, oceanic eyes, a round, full belly and soft features leaned over the crib. A toddler of three years looked at her. Suddenly, everything changed, and Kairi saw the toddler being held back by her brother as her mother was raced down the halls of the hospital. Things faded again, and Kairi was sitting in rows of seats in a waiting room beside where a little version of her sat on her brothers lap.

A doctor came out.

"I'm sorry... but she died in birth." That was how Kairi learned she should have had a little sister. That was also when she never found out what happened.

"You can't handle it," her brother told her, and she decided to trust him.

It was her last day of training now, and she had said farewell to the Konoha nin the night before. Their mission was done, and Lady Tsunade wanted them to come back. She stood in the training clearing, tall before Kazekage Gaara and proud.

"So you think you're ready to become a genin?" He asked coldly. Kairi grinned, jumping up and down, nodding. "How many jutsus can you perform?"

"Four." He nodded.

"Taijutsu level?"

"Gai-sensei said I was nearly to Sakura Haruno's level."

"It's an overexageration, but good enough, knowing him. Now, Genjutsu?"

"I can't." Kairi growled. Gaara nodded. He knew that.

"Intelligence?"

Kairi just smirked, Gaara rolled his eyes. With a regretful sigh, he handed her the Sunagakure Hitai-ate and she wrapped it around her forehead, where it belonged.

"By the way, Kankuro leaves for the Land of Waves tomorrow."


	14. Children

**A/N: Wow... this is getting intense! And Gaara's so **_**mean**_** to her... jeez...**

**Gaara: I am only looking out for her.**

**Really. I know you, and you aren't. In fact, I've been you, and you just want her for yourself, huh?!!**

***Gaara leaves***

**Wow... yeah, anyways, I hope you guys like this chapter!**

**Also, this is what the priest from the Kami shrine told her:**

**Apparently, when a living thing dies, a sort of energy, or part of the soul, leaves the 'shell', or the body, and travels to a different plane. There are seven planes, and humans in their sleep can communicate with the sixth and fifth plane. The sixth is the demon plane. Sometimes, when someone with regrets, or mistakes dies and doesn't want to repent, or doesn't believe, or wants to watch over someone else, they become a part demon. Half dead, half demon, half ghost, and they haunt someone. Commonly the center of their regrets.**

**Like her, for her brother, most likely.**

**P.s.**

**Should I bring in her little sister...?**

**Chapter Fourteen:**

**Children**

Kairi stood in the forest, the blood lake glistening out of the corner of her eyes. She looked down at herself. She wore the white kimono, but there were bloody handprints on it. Her brother stepped out of the woods.

"Kassandra... You seem upset, what is it?" He asked softly. She whimpered, looking away and collapsing to her knees. He was before her in an instant, his hot hands under her throat, making her face him. He kneeled in front of her, taking her hands and pressing his forehead to hers.

"Tell me. You can tell me anything," he whispered. She met his eyes and nodded slightly, wrapping her arms around her body. It was a strange sensation. He was there... but she couldn't feel him, but she couldn't put her arms through him...

"Kankuro... he's leaving... I just... I fought so hard just to see him everyday... and he just leaves..." Kairi closed her eyes tightly, sobs wracking her body. She thought she couldn't hurt anymore, but the pain was there, and icily intense. Her brothers arms went around her waist, but she couldn't feel it... she wanted someone she could feel touch her, but the imaginary sense of her brother there... the same feeling she had when she was younger and he'd protect her... it was peaceful. Her crying stopped eventually.

"Sister, I have a memory for you."

Kairi nodded, and she suddenly felt herself drenched in water, struggling towards the surface, gasping for air, only to swallow water. A disgusting chemical taste filled her throat and she struggled upwards. She broke surface and took in air. She dunked someone beneath the surface, and came back up.

A hand wrapped around her waist, and yanked her deeper under water. She struggled, and finally, she gave up with trying to reach the surface, and looked at who was holding her down. A young boys features faced hers. It was her best friend, Shika... His curly brown hair, and foresty eyes were drooping.

Kairi felt a tightening pain in her chest. She felt like she loved this man... and she noticed he looked asleep, and peaceful. His eyes were closed, and his features gentle. He floated underneath the water as her eyes blurred. She swam down towards him, feeling sick to her stomach, but wrapped her arms around him and tried to yank him up. She looked down his body. His legs were jammed in a metal ladder underneath the water. Her eyes widened and she yanked him free, pulling him to the surface. A girl dressed in red and white ran over, and Exene, Kairi's other best friend, wrapped her arms around a frantic Kairi, holding her back.

The lifegaurd stood up, shaking her head, and told everyone to leave the pool. It was closed. Someone had died.

Kairi's first love had died.

Kairi came out of the memory, back in the forest, shaking and shivvering in fear, and cold. Her entire body was drenched in blood, and the lake seemed fuller. The blood was a bright red, fresh.

"Do you know what this lake represents, Kassandra?" Her brother asked.

Kairi shook her head, tears were streaming down her cheeks. She looked down at her chest. A hole was eating itself out. She whimpered, pulled up her yukata's sleeve, and wiped her tears on her arm. She pulled back and her arm was stained in blood.

She was crying blood, and the thought made her cry harder.

She really was a monster.

Her brother reached towards her, and she stepped away, as far away as she possibly could. She stumbled backwards, and hit the ground. Her brother had a hurt look, but he seemed to understand.

"Please answer my question, Kassandra."

"No... I dont." she murmured, trying not to hyperventilate or sob anymore. He smiled sadly.

"That lake, in a land in the plane of demons is known as the lake of dreams. It's my domain, my home. Do you know why I chose it?"

Kairi shook her head.

"Because that lake is filled with the blood and guilt on others hands, specifically, your hands. Every drop of blood in there is a regret of yours, an injury you've caused, someone you think you've killed... someone you have killed. The hole in your chest is real, Kassandra. It represents the pain and emotional torture you go through, what your childhood, your present, and your future will cause, what it has done to you. It represents love. This forest represents you in general, the darkness to show your cinicallity, the coldness to represent your strength. The blood on you to represent the tainted innocence you wear on your sleeves. This place represents you and your sister."

"If... If you know so much about me, then who are you? What is my darling brothers name?" Kairi growled, tears still streaming down her cheeks, hardening in caked blood.

"I'll tell you soon... but you must take a walk with me, Kairi. Just take a walk." Kairi nodded. She got to her feet, and started to walk beside him. He reached for her, and took her hand.

Suddenly, bright white sparks flew around them. They were blurry.

"They're from the fifth plane, Kassandra..." Her brother whispered in her ear. She stared in awe, enraptured in the glamour of the beautiful, tiny, blurry creatures.

The largest of all the little creatures appeared before Kairi, and she saw the slightest flutter of white feathers dancing with electricity.

"_Little tiny angels dance along,_

_moving to the heart of our broken song,"_ The Angel hummed.

Kairi's brother squeazed her hand and led her deeper into the woods untils he could no longer hear anything besides the soft, musical hum of the Angels'. Soon, the trees started to thin, but her brother pulled away sharply, staring at Kairi in horror.

The yukata had turned dried crimson, but the hole in Kairi's chest had ice forming around it. Kairi felt deathly cold, but she didn't shivver, she didn't even care. The cold spread around her feet, turning the dark green grass frozen and sharp like blades. It emanated in an aura around her.

"_Listen closely child,_

_and remember well,_

_when snow has died,_

_all is well."_

The little angels were sparking, trying to get inside the shield, but the ice shot out in a shield around Kairi, one tiny body fell to the ground, engulfed in blue flame, ashes in the grass.

Kairi shot up straight in her bed, panting, gasping for air, trembling, a scream in her throat. She was crying and sobbing hopelessly. The door slammed open, and Kankuro, about ready to leave, just pulling on a shoe, stood there. He rushed to the side of her bed, reaching to pull her into a hug, his bare fingers touched her collar bone. He winced, pulling back sharply. His features were terrified.

"Kairi... you're colder than dry ice..." He whispered. Suddenly, Kairi felt a fire burn through her vains, and she reached out to take Kankuro's shaking hand. He sighed. "Did I just imagine that...?" But the ice burn on his fingers spoke a different story. Kairi pulled herself against him, crying.

**X.x.X.x.X**

"So where are you going...?" Kairi asked ten minutes later. She was sitting in her bed, snuggling into Kankuro's lap. He rested his chin on her shoulder, hands folded over her stomach. His breath was cold against her neck, and she could hear his heart beat inside his chest.

"The Land of Waves..."

"What's the mission?"

"The war general Inari, an old friend of Naruto's, requested Sunagakure's assistance with training troops. Kirigakure is holding out a battlement on the Great Naruto Bridge..."

"Great Naruto Bridge?"

"Yeah. That's where he defeated that old punk Gato, didn't he tell you that story?"

"He never said they named the bridge after him... wow, he's popular."

"That's Naruto for you..."

"But wait, can't you be killed?"

"Easily." Kankuro shrugged, completely nonchallant. Kairi shot up straight, breaking free of his arms and turning to face him.

"Don't you care?!!" She whispered harshly. They were trying to avoid alerting Gaara that Kankuro hadn't left yet. "Don't you care that you could die?!"

"Not if I am doing a mission. Kairi, I resigned myself to die when I joined the ninja academy a year before Gaara... If I am serving my village, I have no other wish..."

"None?" Kankuro looked away, got up off of the bed and went to the door.

"I have to leave for my mission, Kassandra," he murmured before going out the door before Kairi had a chance to react.

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi sat in the large kitchen of the kazekage manor. To keep herself occupied, she studied the room.

The floor was an unpolished dark brown marble. The cabinets were red-stained cherry wood, the counters the same marble as the floor. The kitchen was huge, with stainless steel trashcompactor, double ovens, a stove, large double sink, fridge, freezer, and dishwasher. There was an island in the center with red-stained cherrywood stools. Eight of them in total, four on each side. On the islands center was a bowl of water plants. The walls were painted a warm auburn brown, and the cubbards and drawers and fridge and freezer were stocked with all food imaginable, some from other lands.

Kankuro had left four hours ago, Kairi refused to speak to Gaara still. She hated him right now... but Kankuro wasn't her favorite either. Earlier, as he was about to leave... she wanted to kiss him. But he somehow knew her name. What else did he know about her? Did he read her journal and think she's crazy? Think she's lying about who she is?

She shook her head. If he did think those things, he hadn't told Gaara, and he was no longer her problem anymore. She couldn't handle those things when it felt like her heart was being torn from her chest over the thought of him dying. A tear leaked down the side of her face, but she wiped it away and hopped down off the counter and to her feet. She started cooking lunches.

By the time she was done cooking, music was blasting at the highest possible volume throughout the room. The door was shut tightly, and locked. The kitchen was a mess.

So far, the radio had played: It ends tonight by All American Rejects, Everybodies fool by Evanescence, Evil Angel by Breaking Benjamin, Fences by Paramore, Pain by Three Days Grace, Chop Suey by System of a Down, Bleed it out by Linkin Park, I'm not okay by My Chemical Romance, Far away by Nickelback.

She had also packed forty-five lunches in bentoboxes. There were nine different styles of lunches. One of them had waterfruit, with a bottle of water, a pork onigiri and a small chocolate bar. The second had a small pudding cup, a bottle of juice, chopped up carrots and ranch, and a teriyaki ricebowl. The others each had different kinds of ramen, with waterfruit, chips, and bottle water. With a sigh, regretting the clean-up job she would have to do, and also relishing in the thought of doing that, she opened up the kitchen door and started piling the make-shift bento boxes on a small cart she had found in the closet. She quickly made a jug of chocolate milk and drank some before putting it on the top.

"It's been to long, my friend," she murmured, huggling the jug. She would have to go grocery shopping later.

"Kairi-chan? What are you doing with those?" Temari asked in confusion as she walked down the hall, hips swinging with each step. She peaked around Kairi before she could stop her, and let out a shriek at what was in the kitchen, the music muffling it barely.

"I AM NOT CLEANING THAT UP!!!!" She screamed. Kairi clamped a hand over Temari's mouth, shushing her wildly.

"Great Kami woman, calm down. You'll terrify the whole household." Temari glared and nodded, stepping back.

"So?" She growled, waiting for her explanation that she felt entitled to. She was.

"I made lunches for the academy students. No, you won't have to clean anything up. Since I'm done with my training with Gaara-sensei, I'll have more time to clean."

"Really? I would've thought you'd spend your time stalking Kankuro now." Kairi stiffened. Didn't the woman know?!!

"Temari-san, Kankuro is out on a twelve-month mission assigned to him by the Kazekage to help lead a war against Kirigakure." Temari stiffened. "Talk to Gaara for the details."

"Oh you bet I'll talk to that selfish bastard, he's goin' down! **LITTLE BROTHER GET YOUR STUPID FORSAKEN ASS DOWN HERE THIS MINUTE!!!** Have fun with the academy students. I might come by after I'm done talking to Gaara."

"Allright. Leave a scar for me, allright?" Temari smiled.

"I'll try."

Kairi then grabbed the handle of the cart, and started pulling it from the mansion. The academy was only two blocks from the mansion. She was in front of the school in no-time, dressed in her casual clothes.

AKA, she had locked Kankuro's ninja clothing in the bottom of her dresser in her room to hide from. She was now wearing black shorts, a white tanktop and a black tie with green paint splatters and a green headband. She had her trusty wallet tucked in her studded belt. Her kunai pouch was around her leg, she could still barely use it, but she needed some amount of a defense, since her taijutsu wasn't very good.

She walked into the academy's main building, a tall round sandstone building with the village and academy symbol intertwined on the sign on the front. Kairi walked up to the first classroom, and poked her head inside. A large class of small children, about six years old, were going over their morning and night training regimens. The sensei was checking each one off, going to each student.

The sensei was a tall man with short-cropped brown hair, his headband around his forehead. His left eye was mottled by a long scar, unable to open, and his right eye was a bright, gentle green. He was tall, and wore a chunin vest over the traditional black spandex suit. He turned around in surprise at the sound, his face annoyed as if he expected someone to come in late, but he furrowed his brow in confusion at the sight of Kairi.

He tensed, hand going towards his kunai pouch. Kairi smiled sheepishly, flashing her headband at him, which was wrapped around her ankle, and smiled.

"May I speak to you for a second?" Kairi asked. The entire class froze and looked to her. Immediately whispers started up, besides a group of four silent, glaring kids. Kairi bit her lower lip but ignored them.

The sensei nodded.

"Finish going over your schedule with your partner, make some adjustments for the next week, and I'll be back in a minute. Zero-san, please make sure they behave." A strong, confident looking boy nodded. Kairi grinned, and stepped out of the classroom. The teacher nodded respectfully to her, and Kairi bowed as a genin of her status should.

"My name is Kairi Sacrow, I'm staying up in the kazekage mansion and I got bored and cooked a bunch... I actually made around 45 lunches... do you mind if I give them to the kids?" The teacher smiled faintly.

"Not at all. I am Koneko." Kairi grinned.

"Arigatou, Koneko-sensei!" Kairi said sweetly, smiling from ear to ear. His name meant Mr. Kitty. "So how many students in this class?"

"Fifteen." He said evenly. He didn't even have to think.

"Is there fifteen in every class?"

"Yes, but this one is missing two. There are three classes."

"Oh, well that's perfect. Would you like some lunch yourself?" He nodded, and Kairi handed him a ramen one. He took it with a grateful remark and walked in the class, gesturing her in.

"Class, we have a special visitor today." He announced, and the rowdy class went silent and behaved in an instant. He set his lunch on his desk on the raised section, and gestured for Kairi to stand beside him. She bowed deeply.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu, gaki." Good morning, kids. "Watashi wa Sacrow Kairi desu." My name is Kairi Sacrow. "Watashi wa genin no Sunagakure desu." I am a genin of the village hidden in the sand. "Watashi wa iie wa kazekage manoru." My home is the Kazekage manor.

Kairi smiled as she introduced herself. A kid raised her hand.

"Speak." Koneko said calmly. He seemed a very peaceful man.

"How come you're dressed like that and how come you live there and how come you didn't have to go to the academy like us?!!" She asked rudely. Kairi winced.

"I'm dressed like this because I am currently without a sensei and without work. My sensei hates my guts, and I hate his. I live there because the kazekage's brother, Kankuro-san," Kairi frowned at the name, "requested it after he rescued me." Yes, Kairi did see it as the boy rescuing her. "And I was under a deal with the kazekage. He put me through his hardest training." The class gaped.

"Wow! Kairi-sensei you're awesome!" One kid shouted. Koneko smiled slightly.

"It seems they like you. Would you like to train with me?"

"I couldn't ask that of you!" Kairi said, agape as she turned to face him.

"Then how about you help me with my classes and I'll train you in thanks." Kairi grinned and nodded.

"Now class, Kairi made us all lunch, so would someone go get the other three classes off of the training field and playground so we can eat?" The little girl raised her hand, and with a nod from Koneko raced out of the room. Kairi then began passing out the lunches to the other students, leaving one on the girls classes. As she was placing one on one of the dark boys' desks, he grabbed her injured wrist, which was still healing, and she winced, pulling back and biting her lip.

"Ouch. What?" She growled. The boy narrowed his eyes.

"Why does the kazekage care about someone as weak as you?!!" He growled back in response. Suddenly, he was smacked in the back of the head by Koneko.

"Kashiko, watch your mouth! An injury is an injury, and I distinctly remember you crying about twisting your ankle the other day!" The boy flushed and angrily started eating his lunch. Kairi was setting her lunch down in front of the girl who had left the class, when she took a seat, the other kids spilling into the room.

"Watashi wa Kage Maki." My name is Maki.

"Ohayoo, Maki-san." Kairi said kindly.

"Those boys over there, they're Kashiko Monozu, Zero konn, Gaki Shonotsu and Zakufu Hachii. they're jerks, but the best, and also the most dangerous." Kairi nodded her understanding.

Two hours later, all of the food had been finished off, and kids were asking her questions.

**X.x.X.x.X**

**A/N: Well, I hope you guys liked this chapter. First of all, though, I want to clarify and thank some people for some things.**

**One) Kankuro likes her alot, in fact he loves her, but he also loves his brother, and knows Gaara loves her, so he's willing to leave her.**

**Two) I'm writing this in my version of what the shinobi way is for each of these people.**

**Three) Her brother is a gaurdian demon, which I got from my nicname at school. I based off the whole brother visiting her from a Vampire Knight fanfiction by Suntiger. It's called Stargazer, and is really good, but I also based it off of the fact that when I was in kindergarten, before my mom had told me about my dead older brother, I had told people I was talking to my brother. **

**Four) The lullaby, I haven't typed all of it in this story, but I wrote it for a roleplay on a long time ago and found it really good. **

**Five) Her element is ice, if you haven't figured it out yet. **

**Five)Thanks cheeky half-demon for the reviews... let me know which type of one-shot you want, because I like your name idea.**

**Six) I listened to Prince of Darkness by Alice in Chains while writing this chapter, as well as the songs listed that the radio played in the story. I like the song Prince of Darkness and it fits the story.**

**Seven) The entire time I've been writing this, I've based Gaara off of my friend Kyle, and how he acts around this girl he likes.**

**Eight) Sorry, I know I'm rambling, but soon I will be posting some Kairi/Gaara and Kairi/Kankuro one-shots... This is the last note.**

**Nine) Or not. This is the last one. Narutogirl13, thanks for the reviews, and I'm glad you've got your account set up. Let me know if you write anything or need a beta. Enjoy , girl.**

**Gaara: Did it take you long enough?**

**Kairi: I HATE YOU!!!!!**


	15. The Longest Week

**A/N: That last chapter took me about four hours, and it was my longest chapter yet... but it was hard to write, as well. I knew what I wanted to write, but I kept getting sidetracked. I'm going to be posting some things about Kairi in the author's notes now, so here is todays piece!**

**Kairi's Closet:**

**White tanktop**

**green tanktop**

**black tanktop**

**Red long-sleeve midriff**

**white long-sleeve midriff**

**black midriff T-shirt**

**black 'Queen of the Fucking World' T-shirt**

**Black baggy sweater**

**Dark green sweater with black cheetah patterns**

**Black shorts**

**White shorts**

**Black minishorts**

**black miniskirt**

**black baggy jeans**

**levi black boot-cut jeans**

**Studded belt**

**skull studded wallet with chain**

**black fingerless gloves**

**black and green glow-in-the-dark bandana**

**ninja outfit**

**understuff:**

_**green boyshorts and green bra**_

_**red polkadoted black bikini**_

_**black lace bra and panties**_

_**nets**_

**Black converse with white and red checkers randomnly spotted**

**black boots**

**jasmine nightflower perfume**

**lime-green, red and black nailpolish**

**That is the extent of Kairi's very goth and female closet. As you can see she likes green. Alot. That's the point. Now, feel free to come up with outfits, because it certainly keeps me entertained alot. In fact, most of that stuff **_**is**_** in my closet... wow... she really is me, isn't she?**

**Here's the next chappie of II!**

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Longest Week**

Two hours later, the food had been finished off, and the kids were asking her questions.

"Kashiko," Koneko-sensei picked the next interviewer.

"What was your worst injury?" He asked.

Kairi grinned a little. She pointed to her arm.

"Can we see it?" Kashiko asked. Kairi bit her lip, but Koneko nodded to say it was okay. All of the girls besides Maki turned away. Maki just looked curious and a tadbit worried.

Kairi pulled off the bandage, unravelling it slowly. She then raised it in front of her, the wound bare.

It was the wound Gaara had given her, and had healed barely in a few places. It was mainly red meat with thick brown and black and white scabs all over it, and bare in a few places. It looked as if her arm had been sent through a cheese grater, because patches of actual skin still remained. Some of the boys gasped, and the few girls who had risked seeing it either ran from the room or stared at it in twisted interest. Kashiko got up from his seat and walked to stand in front of it. He was two and a half feet shorter than Kairi, and over half her age younger than her.

"May I?" Kairi looked at him in confusion.

"Kashiko is the village healers son, Kairi-san. He can heal it." Kairi shook her head.

"Don't. Let this be a reminder to all of you not to slap the kazekage. I'm going to let this heal."

"Why?" Kashiko asked. He seemed shocked and confused.

"Why did I slap him or why not heal it?"

"Both."

"I slapped him for personal reasons, and I don't want to heal it because it'll leave a fucked up awesome scar."

"Kairi, watch your language," Koneko scolded. A few kids in the room laughed, including Kashiko. The boy had a strange kind of respect in his eyes, and Kairi took that as an apology for earlier. He walked away.

"What are your other injuries?" Maki asked. Kairi grinned, and showed them her vampire scar after she had wrapped her arm back up.

The kid named Gaki, a boy with long blue hair tied behind his head and black shorts and T-shirt, black eyes, went rigid, eyes glazed and tears streaming down his cheeks. Two older girls escorted him from the classroom. They looked like they were a few days' from being genin.

"His family was killed by vampires a year ago," Koneko explained. Kairi lowered her eyes respectfully, and re-covered the scar as well. Vampire wounds heal fast, but scar for life.

Zero raised his arm. Koneko called on him.

"Do you have family?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"They're all dead."

"Who were they?" He asked. He still seemed as if he was talking about the weather, and used only one-word sentances.

"My brother, my sister, my mother."

"Father."

"I could care less," Kairi growled fiercely. Some of the kids whimpered. Kairi smiled apologetically. "Sorry... me and my father don't get along well."

"What were their names?" He meant her mother, sister and brother.

"I don't... I don't remember." Kairi said softly.

"Allright, let's move on. Any ninja related questions?" Koneko asked.

"What was your worst fight?" An eleven year old girl asked.

"I was seven and I got caught by some jerks in an alley," Kairi worded this memory carefully. "They kept attacking at me with knives, because apparently I had kicked one of their girlfriends buts because she was insulting me, and I got my legs and arms cut up. It took me almost an hour to knock them each out and run to a hospital."

"Wow... have you ever killed anybody?" A kid around nine asked.

Kairi remembered Shika's face and frowned.

"Yes."

"Who?" Another asked.

"My best friend. His name was Shika." The class went silent at the last comment.

"How did he die?"

"He drowned."

"Then how does that count as killing him?" Maki asked.

"I... are there any other questions?" Kairi abruptly changed subject.

"What jutsu can you do...?"

And the questions went on.

**X.x.X.x.X**

After the class was over, the students were dismissed. Only Maki, Gaki, Zero, Kashiko, and Zakufu remained. They all helped Koneko clean up the classroom, and then Kairi was about to go.

"Before you leave, Kairi, when we train, I was wondering if you would train with this group as well?" Koneko asked. Kairi grinned.

"Sure.

**X.x.X.x.X**

Once Kairi had returned to the mansion, she went straight to the kitchen. She dug around until she had found the cleaning supplies in the hallway closet, and a bright blue yukata used while cleaning. Kairi shoved it all into a box she found on the ground, and tied the yukata with a dark blue strap she found. She tied her hair up in a messy bun, because sometime during the day she had taken it out, and then hauled her stuff into the kitchen and set to work.

She cleaned and polished the counters, packaged all the leftovers, washed, dried and put away the dishes, polished and cleaned the floor, took out the trash twice and cleaned all the metal supplies. She also grabbed a notepad and pen and wrote down: microwave, coffee pot.

With an exaughsted sigh, Kairi relaxed against the wall of the First Floor's main closet. She took the last gulp of her chocolate milk and went back into the kitchen to look at the clock. It was five o'clock. She had to make dinner. With a soft sigh, wondering how home-mothers did stuff like this all day, she got straight to work on the easy dinner of spaghetti, while reading up on starplacements. She was going to attempt to set up her telescope tonight.

**X.x.X.x.X**

"What is it?" Temari asked. Her, the boy that had been over when Kairi had knocked on her door the other night, which she had now realized was Koneko, and Gaara all sat at the table. Temari and Kairi had been talking about her work with the academy students, when she brought out the food.

"Spaghetti, of course." Kairi seemed surprised.

"Um... so what is it?"

"I... well, it's a..." Kairi couldn't remember, so she glanced at it and improvised. "It's a strange type of ramen." Good enough, she told herself, there ARE noodles, afterall.

Temari nodded, and dished herself a plate.

"Who is he?" Gaara finally growled, nodding towards the man. Koneko kept his eye to the table, polite as he ate in silence, not even his elbows were on the table. Reminding herself, Kairi sat up straight and took her elbows off the table while she ate the food and drank her chocolate milk.

"Gaara-samma, this is my boyfriend, Koneko Rapotsu. He's the teacher down at the academy, and also Kairi's current sensei." The man bowed his head, then returned to eating. Gaara smirked.

"I like him. How long has she been fucking you?" Gaara said with a smirk. Kairi choked on her food, at the exact same time as Koneko. They traded looks and Koneko shrugged. Obviously, Temari had instructed him very well on how to act. Gaara smirked, and the rest of the meal was silent.

**X.x.X.x.X**

After dinner had been cleaned up (with the help of Temari and Koneko) Kairi went up to the roof, packing along her sketch book, her star chart book (Stars Imaging), her video camera and her telescope. Once on the roof, she set everything up and layed down on her blanket, connected the camera to the telescope, and pressing record with the new tape in it.

She spent around an hours studying the stars, attempting to find them, and mapping them in her notebook. It was around midnight now.

"What is so interesting?" A velvety voice asked. Shukaku's voice. Kairi froze, then continued looking through her telescope, and turned off the camera. She would doctor the tape later that night in the library on a computer.

"They're beautiful, they can tell time, tell history, see everything, tell the future, protect and kill, warm and freeze. They're all powerful beings that are pretty to look at, what else could be more interesting?"

"A book." The demon replied simply, sitting beside her. Kairi was stiff, and as far away from the demon as possible. She started packing up her things.

"Going so soon?"

Kairi just nodded, and dragged it all down to her room in two trips. It wasn't Shukaku's fault that Gaara had sent Kankuro away, so she had no current spat beside the whole 'sacrifice' thing with him.

After the first trip, shukaku was no where to be seen, but a scream pierced the air. Kairi shivered, but what scared her the most was a sudden, only small and already fading wish, that that scream was hers.

She fought back the strange sensation and went down to her room. She sat on her bed and looked around.

There was a note on her dresser and an envelope. She picked it up, inside was 10,000 yen. Kairi's eyes bulged.

_-If this isn't enough, ask me for more, but fix up this room.-_

The note was signed with a spatter of blood and sand. She stuffed it inside her journal beside the other one and added a note to the side.

_He's asking me to forgive him again, because he wants my aproval, yet he does everything I don't want... I still don't know if I could love Kankuro, but one thing is for sure. I want to love him, but I also want to love Gaara, Shukaku and all._

She closed her journal, locked it in her dressers top drawer, and looked around the room again, but more critical and observant.

It was appropriate size, with wood flooring, white, plain walls, a large window on the back wall, a small twin-size bed, a dresser, and a closet. Her books overflowed in piles around the room, and her clothes were all put away neatly. Her camera, sketch book and telescope were tucked under her bed.

She needed bed sheets, paint, a rug, a desk, a bookshelf, curtains and a backpack. She could afford it all, and more. She decided to save the extra money, and went out to by what she needed.

**X.x.X.x.X**

It was four am by the time she got back to her room, carrying the last box for her desk in her arms. She lugged it up the stairs to the second story and the short walk in the hall to her room before going in search of a screwdriver.

This probably had to be the longest Monday night in her life.

By five am, the desk had been set up and positioned beside the bed, and the bookshelf besides it, she scooted them away, put paper on the floor, tape around the windows, and got set to painting.

She painted the entire room black before painting multi-sized polka dots of the colors lime green, crimson, magenta, emergency orange, hot pink and periwinkle. It looked good.

She put the bookshelf and desk away, and loaded all of her books to their appropriate places. She left the top two shelves empty, since there was enough room, and placed her telescope and her camera up there. Kairi locked her journal and sketchbook in the desk droor, and loaded a black cup she had washed with pencils and put it on the desk. She grabbed a paintbrush and some black styling paint, as well as different sizes of brushes and a cup of water, and painted designs inside the polkadots on the walls. She put the curtains up, lime green of course, and painted her door limegreen in a sudden afterthought.

She put in the blacklite bulbs in her lamp which she set on the desk, hung up a white-rimmed mirror, and put on the bedsheet of crimson and black. The shag rug she layed down was hot pink.

The room looked amazing by the time she was done.

**X.x.X.x.X**

The next morning, Kairi was a little sleepy from not sleeping at all, but not really. She couldn't risk sleep. She couldn't risk stopping. So she got up, got ready for her day, dressed in her green underwear, a black long-sleeve midriff-bearing shirt, nets to 'cover' her stomach and legs, and her black miniskirt. She wrapped her hitai-ate around her neck, grabbed her weapon pouch and strapped it to her leg, made a quick breakfast for her and Koneko-sensei before skipping off to the academy.

She walked into the academy, only to be tackled onto her back by the weight of two children. She looked up to see Maki and Kashiko. She grinned, and ruffled their hair, making them shout and clamber off of her.

"Goodmorning to you to. Do you know where Koneko-sensei is? I made him breakfast."

"Yummy," Koneko-sensei's voice said behind her. Kairi turned around, getting to her feet to see her teacher. She smiled.

"Ohayoo gozaimasu, Koneko-sensei!" She chirped, handing him his breakfast. He narrowed his eyes.

"Kairi-san, did you get enough sleep last night?" He questioned. Kairi blinked in confusion.

"I didn't get any. I don't 'get enough' sleep. I don't sleep." He nodded slowly, and walked her into his office.

"Kairi-san, it isn't healthy to go Insomniatic. It causes weird reactions in the mind and is very bad for the body, not to mention it would hinder any mission."

"But you see, Koneko-sensei, I have something called Insomniatic Insanity."

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi spent the day after that, Wensday, and the day after that, Thursday, the days that the academy got off for a weekend, to explore the Kazekage mansion. There were four floors, the home, the housing, the recreation and the roof.

On the home floor there was several closets, the kitchen, the dining hall, a meeting room, the first home closet, the Kazekage's buisiness office, the poolroom, the archives, three bathrooms, the gaurd barracks and the armory. And a staircase. On the second floor was eleven guest rooms, the Kazekage room, Temari's room, Kankuro's room (Which Kairi just stood infront of for a while), Kairi's room, the second house closet, to gaurd-on-duty rooms, three bathrooms, and two balconies. On the third floor there was an observatory-like room, but it was lacking a telescope, Temari's greenhouse, the recreation room with TV, video games, the works, a balcony, the library, some bathrooms and the library was huge. She spent the rest of the day in that room.

She spent friday working in the academy and training with Maki, Zero, Kashiko, Gaki and Zakufu. It was actually relatively easy. She helped them lengthen their training, they taught her what they knew, and she practised with her shuriken, kunai and senbon. She seemed to be good at small objects.

Saturday and Sunday were the same.

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi sat in the kitchen table Monday morning, whe Temari walked in. She handed Kairi two envelopes from the mail, and five packages.

"But I never get mail."

**A/N: Allright, in the middle of this chapter, I began blueprints for the kazekage mansion and all kinds of other cool things. The 'guide to II' will be posted on livejournal, and I will provide a link. The picture will be uploaded through my deviant art, and I will also create a sims download, and the writing will be posted here. All links WILL be provided.**

**Gaara: Go you.**

**Thanks. Was that sarcastic.**

**Gaara: Not at all.**

**But you just said that sarcastically, so does that mean you weren't being sarcastic early or you were?**

**Ugh... sorry. Gaara is confusing. He got into Kairi's chocolate milk. Big mistake.**


	16. Messages

**A/N: Sorry, I know I haven't posted in a bit... and things are just getting hectic again at my house. Parents, you know? And then a two-year-old sister to watch over night and day... I love my sister, and I'm not sarcastic. She's my world**

**I've also been spending a bunch of time on:**

**mangatutorials [dot] com**

**It's a really good website, for those so-so drawers or even beginners who want to learn as much as they can. Over 80 tutorials.**

**Um... anywho, this chapter might take a day or two to write, but I hope you like it when it is posted!**

**Kairi's booklist:**

**Astronomy basics**

**Stars in our eyes**

**Zodiac: The land of Fire and the land of Water's vision**

**You and you: the human spirituality**

**His Majesty Kami**

**Star Gazing for Idiots**

**Stars: a book of photography and starcharts**

**Animal and Human philosophy.**

**Religion and philosophy**

**The Shinobi Way**

**Philosophy of a Kunoichi**

**Religions of the World**

**A Guide to Sunagakure**

**Demons**

**Stories of Ancient**

**Fairytale Creatures**

**The Humans Survival Guide to Vampires**

**A Vampires Complete History of the World**

**Satanic Images**

**Holy Symbols**

**Chapter Sixteen:**

**Messages**

Kairi sat in the kitchen table Monday morning, whe Temari walked in. She handed Kairi two envelopes from the mail, and five packages.

"But I never get mail."

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi quickly opened the first letter.

_Land Of Fire_

_Konohagakure_

_Uzumaki Naruto_

_11-19_

_Konnichiwa, Kairi-chan._

_It's Naruto! The others asked me to write to you... and if there are any ramen stains, I'm sorry, in advance. I'm eating dinner right now. So how is it with you and Kankuro? You and Kazekage-samma? You get hurt again? How did your test go? Are you still getting trained? By who?_

_The chunin exams are soon, I'm hoping I'll pass, so I'm training with Ero-sennin (Jiraiya)... did you know he got turned into a vampire? Yeah. He got in a fight with Orochimaru... and Sasuke. Some Romanian bloodsucker bit him three times, and 'saved his life'... It's wierd. Now that he's dead, he can't do jutsu, but he can still train me._

_Sakura's got graveyard shifts at the hospital now, and she wanted me to ask if you had died yet, but I told her that was rude and I wouldn't ask you that, so she's wondering how you're doing. Her and Lee made it official today and announced it to the village. They're 'officially' dating, now. Don't worry... I actually got a date with this cute girl from the Hyuuga clan. Her name's Hinata. She's that chunin Neji's cousin. She's also a genjutsu user in the interrogation section with Ibiki Moroni, head of it. She detains and interrogates, but it leaves her skiddish._

_Lee told me he sent you a private letter in your birthday present, becuase he doesn't want anybody else to see it. I hope you don't mind, but I peeked at it. You're gonna freak out._

_What do you think about me taking Hinata to Suna for a weekend? I kinda want her to meet you... She's this really soft-spoken, shy girl, but I was talking so much about you while with her team one day that she actually told me to, and quote, 'shut up'. Do you think she was jealous? And about the date, there's this really nice resteraunt there I saw... It's called 'In The Dark', down by Stars and Books, and according to Konoha's archives computer, you eat in the dark. It's supposed to be a freaky but awesome experience._

_Sai also wanted me to write something, but I told him no. He got all pissy, and stormed off. I think he sent something himself. Sorry if you wanted to talk to him, but that snake is just... ugh. Creepy. Crawly. All snake-ish, you know?_

_Kakashi-sensei said to let you know he'd send something too. It's in a seperate package from your birthday presents. He did say to let you know you'll like it, to keep training, and stay out of the pool. Oh... and there was something else... But I kinda forgot. Oh well. I'm sure it was nothing important._

_Gai-sensei also sent something. Don't know what it is. He also said 'may the power of youth be with you' and 'happy late birthday'... and suprisingly, if you had that Master Vampires phone number. Creepy. Is he gay, or does he need it for some other reason._

_And Tsunade-baa-samma, somehow found out about you, and I would suggest staying away from her. She wants to 'expirement' on you... 'cause she says your wierd, and says you claimed to have come from a different world._

_Although, she may have been drunk. Too much sake in her life, and in one morning with breakfast. Nevermind, she's definitely drunk._

_I have a mission up in Kirigakure for three months, but I'll try to write you. Send your reply, if you want to write back at all, to General Inari. He's an old friend of mine, when I saved him when he was tiny._

_Tell Temari Shikamaru says hi. Tell Gaara I said hi. Tell Kankuro Sai and Gai said hi... wow._

_Please write back, we love you,_

_Uzumaki Naruto_

_Haruno Sakura_

_Sai_

_Hatake Kakashi_

_Maito Gai_

_Rock Lee_

Kairi opened up one of the packages to find a bento set for ramen. It was made of black bamboo and engraved by sand to give it a strange texture and appearance. A cup-o-noodle rested inside. Naruto had sent it, obviously.

Inside the next package was a gift from Lee. A set of training weights and decorative bangles which she slipped over one arm. She opened up the folded slip of paper that came with them.

_Kairi-chan, what is going on between you, Gaara and Kankuro now?_

_It's nice to write to you... but I need some advice. I want to marry Sakura. How should I propose._

_Filled with youth,_

_Rock Lee_

Kairi grinned. She'd reply later. She opened up the gift from Sakura, which had been in the same package as Lee's, and found a beautiful black kimono with white and red emrboidery of frogs. She grinned. Sakura was the only one she had ever told she liked frogs, because they were green. This was perfect. She folded it up and placed it on the table. She dug deeper in the bag to find a folded up bag labeled 'Victoria's Secret'.

"Victoria's secret? Hmm... I wonder what that is..." She opened it up and pulled out a fancy, revealing night-time lingerie. Kairi blanched, and quickly shoved it back in its packaging. She wanted to murder Sakura and hug her. It was perfect.

Inside the next package, the one from Sai. The gift was a small manga book, the first copy a year before Sai would release it. His first manga, called Babylon: The City of Wolves. She smiled. She couldn't wait to read it. She found the letter he sent and opened it.

_Konnichiwa, Kairi-chan._

_Do you have Phillip's phone number? He wrote it on my arm but it faded. I was looking forward to seeing him again._

_How are you? Do you like the gift? Sakura mentioned something today about a new emotion called 'lust' and another, 'love'. The dicitionary is unclear. What are they?_

_Sincerely,_

_Sai_

_p.s._

_Can we play strip poker again next time we visit? I had fun._

Kairi barely resisted laughing at the letter, and set it aside. She would have plenty of letters to reply to later.

She opened up the next package. It was from Kakashi, and the second to last one. The gift was wrapped in a pool floaty. Kairi smiled, and uncovered it. The complete Icha Icha works. Kairi grinned.

Perfect.

With a small, quiet laugh of enjoyment, she opened the letter.

_In case Naruto forgot, I will be heading up in a month for a mission in Suna. ANBU, but I was wondering if you and the Kazekage family would like to go back to the club and catch up for a bit?_

_Kakashi._

Kairi smiled, and reached for the second letter. She opened it up. It was a small, crinkled with age piece of parchment, with very little writing on it, a small haiku.

_Kassandra,_

_-blood and battle rage_

_I'll risk my life for you, love_

_I pray you'll remember-_

_Sincerely,_

_The one who sent you the locket_

Kairi furrowed her brow, and making sure no one saw, she stuffed it in her right pocket. She'd have it analyzed later, or just keep it. It was in a strange way, romantic to her. Like some freaked up Secret Santa... who knew about the war.

No one outside those involved in the war should know about it. No one besides the few Konoha nin, Kankuro and Koneko (who had been informed because he was offered a paying position as a trainer) should know her. But someone did.

Who?

Who knew her name?!

And what locket?

Kairi grabbed the smallest package, large enough to fit in her hand, and took off the twine and brown packaging paper. A small, crystallic box almost hit the table, but she caught it before it could fall and break. She set it down, and opened it. Low, humming music filled her ears, some sweet flute-like tune, and the smell of rosemary and thyme filled her senses. White and black horses swirled around the room in a transparent, silvery snowstorm. She looked around in awe.

It was the most beautiful genjutsu she had ever seen.

Tearing, with some difficulty, her eyes from the beauty of a waterfall cascading into a sparkling ocean that flowed around her, flowers blooming off of it's surface as it turned to a swampy forest. She reached inside the box that still sat on the table and took out a small, black and red, heart-shaped locket. She closed the lid, and the genjutsu stopped.

It was almost like magic.

Kairi looked down at the locket. It was all black with red barbed wire carved into the heart-shaped metal to hold it clasped shut. She couldn't open it. With a sigh, she left it alone, and carefully locked it around her neck.

She couldn't see anything.

**X.x.X.x.X**

Then she could see. Kairi gasped, cursing into the high oblivion as panic raged. She shouldn't have put it on after that level of sealed genjutsu just on its container without having it thoroughly inspected. Especially if she couldn't open the locket part.

Sand slid into the room fast, just as Kairi was climbing to her feet, and Gaara was in the room in an instant, eyes cold and gazing.

"What's wrong? Who's here...? I can feel your chakra... Kairi, don't move."

"Gaara. It's the locket."

"What?" He asked in confusion. "What locket? What are you talking about?"

"Gaara, no one is in here."

"Then how come there was just a high-level genjutsu."

"The crystal box on the table."

"Kairi, what are you talking about?" Gaara gave her his attention, though he was alert. He walked close to her, so he could defend her.

"See this little crystal box?" Kairi asked, pointing to the thing that had come in the mail.

"It's the ninja equivalent to a music box. But it has smells, sounds, images, feeling... it's gorgeous."

"So what made you gasp and scare you enough that your chakra spiked intensely and your chair toppled over."

"The locket."

"What locket?"

"The one that came in the box, and I put around my neck without thinking."

"What about it?"

"It made me black out, I don't know how long... and I can't take it off." She pulled it into view, and Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"I'll scold you later. ANBU!!" He shouted, running towards the hall. An ANBU black ops and medic ninja were running down the hall. They skidded to a halt into the room, and looked thoroughly confused.

"Tiger, Lion," he adressed them, voice harsh. "A crystaline box was sent in the mail to Kairi. It played a level-S genjutsu for her, completely enrapturing her, and convinced her to put on the locket that is now around her neck and knocked her out momentarily. Get it off and figure out what it's doing and who sent it." They saluted him, and Kairi backed away from their aproach into the wall. She was allready scared as it is, and she hated doctors, and ANBU terrified her. Gaara seemed to soften. He stepped towards her, and reach out to place his hand on her shoulder.

His sand raced up to block his touch. He narrowed his eyes.

"My sand was either protecting you from my own completely harmless touch, or it was protecting me from something on you."

The medic nin stepped beside Kairi, and looked down at her.

"Look me in the eyes." He ordered. Kairi whimpered, scooting farther into the corner, but met her eyes. Fear of hurting Gaara was worse. The other ANBU had gone to get assistance and send out a carrier pigeon to Konoha. They would need a Byakugan or Sharingan weilder.

"Kairi, do you have any documentation whatsoever that this person sent you?" Gaara asked. Kairi whimpered and nodded, she pulled out the slip of paper and handed it to him. With an angry glare, Gaara stormed out of the room, after reading the haiku.

The medic nin had Kairi sit down on the floor since she refused to lay down, and he ran glowing green hands about a foot away from her body, and each time he sent a bit of chakra closer, it ricochetted away, and burned the nin. He growled in annoyance, and commenced to sitting in silence beside her.

About five minutes later, Temari and seven ANBU black ops poofed into the room. Temari's eyes were wide with terror.

"We can't move her from the room until we know what's going on. We need an analysis of the crystal box. Whatever that locket is doing to her, my chakra can't get closer than a foot, and myself four inches. It's like a shield. She appears and feels normal besides a light tingling feeling." Kairi nodded, confirming the medic nins words and hiding her fear underneath a perfect mask of a polite smile. Temari was on her knees beside Kairi.

"Oh my god, Kai-chan... I can't believe this..." Temari whispered.

_'I'm still here sister. The locket isn't a threat. It's a gift.'_

Kairi's eyes flew wide in surprise before she could calm herself. An ANBU leaned infront of her, eyes narrowed behind his mask.

"Miss Mimichi? Are you allright? What is it?" He asked, voice even and mellow. Kairi smiled politely up at him.

"Nothing. I've just got a song stuck in my head," Kairi replied sweetly, but not overdoing it. The ANBU sighed in annoyance.

"In order for us to do our job, we need complete honesty and you can't hide. If we miss even one thing..."

"Dont." Temari interrupted. "There's no way in Great Kami that that is even a possibility."

"Miss Sabaku... we can't be sure if we can't even touch her."

"Does she looks like she's dying to you?" Temari growled. Kairi sighed.

"Temari, give the ANBU a break... besides, youre giving me a headache. And to be brutally honest, Mr. ANBU Sir, I'm terrified. I got a romantic gift from a Secret Admirer that sent me a dangerous item, and now I'm surrounded by faceless demons. No offense by the demon term, but I have my reasons for being terrified of doctors and official figures that I don't know."

_'You do. Your father was a medical soldier when he was in the army. People like that can't be trusted.'_

Just then, as Kairi attempted to hide the grimace at the tingling feeling her brothers words sent down her spine, a hand touched her shoulder, and everything went black.

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi opened her eyes to find herself standing in the same spot in the forest she had been last time. A shield of ice hovered around the same level of her ankles in a ten foot diameter around her. Several small bodies of angels lay on the ground, soft sparking around them. Some didn't spark at all.

Kairi's brother stood a bit away, calm, wary and concerned. Kairi looked down at herself.

She was still in the same bloodstained yukata, blood streaming down her skin, and a small black and red locket was around her neck. The ice around her emanated a light red.

"That locket is powerful." Her brother murmured, still a safe distance away. Kairi wanted to break down crying. She couldn't even hug him now.

_"But the white blooded fox,_

_Will cry in turn,_

_It's only warmth,_

_dying in the burn,_

_of the unknown spring,_

_who took her rose,_

_but the moon still shines,_

_And the child knows."_

The leader, the largest of them all, Angel was still singing from a perch high up in a tree. The voice was rough and masculine, but still soothing and cold over her.

"What... what is this thing?" Kairi whispered in horror, holding up the locket to get a better look at it.

"It's a protection item. One of the only twenty dropped on Earth by Our Majesty," her brother replied.

"Our Majesty?" Kairi questioned.

"The great Kami. Lord of all."

"That locket is the fourth most powerful," the angel said suddenly. "It's a defense charm. Anything that comes within a certian distance of you will either be repelled, ricochetted or knocked out. The charm can't kill, but when given as a gift, it can only be removed when the giver has opened the locket. Or if the body consumes the lockets power."

"Con... sumes? You mean like when it eats it? My bodies going to eat a cursed piece of jewelry."

"If it was cursed, it would kill you." The Angel said in anger before sparking off to who-knows where. Her brother sighed, and walked forward where a dark sort of light was coming from the woods.

"Follow me," he beckoned. Kairi walked after him, her path cleared by the deathly ice, her skin hot and burning, but she couldn't do anything about it. Fear ate at her.

They stepped into a large clearing where crystal clear water flowed in a large lake. A waterfall fell from the skies, off on a high mountain so high that the top of the waterfall couldn't be seen. The grass was soft. In the middle of the lake a small island sat. Only large enough for two people to stand on.

A broadsword was stabbed into the Earth.

"Would you like to meet your sister?" Kairi paused in her steps.

"Tell me your name."

"Not yet. It isn't time."

"Why? Why can't you tell me your name?"

"Because I am commanded not to."

"By who?"

"His Majesty."

"Why did he command that then?"

"Because it isn't time."

"Then what is my sisters name?"

"Sabanar."

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi groaned, rolling onto her side, only to hit sand. She blinked, clearing the haze from her vision and looked around.

She was in a hospital room, Gaara had probably moved her using his sand. She lay partially suspended over the floor by a soft sheet of sand that lifted her onto her bed again. She looked over to the corner to see Temari asleep in a chair, Naruto, Sakura, and a Hyuuga girl, probably Hinata, asleep. Gaara stood beside the bed.

"You're awake." He whispered.

Kairi grinned.

"I know what the locket is. How long was I out?"

"You do? Do you know who sent it?" His voice was eager and tense. He was worried about her. Kairi mentally slapped herself. She should've asked her brother that. Or the know-it-all angel.

"No... but, seriously, how long was I asleep?"

"Two weeks."

**X.x.X.x.X**

**Well, that turned out so far from the original plot that I'm terrified. Don't worry, it fits in perfectly, but the story's just going to turn out longer than I expected.**

**Cheeky half-demon: Kankuro has his secret ways for knowing what he knows. I want your honest opinion about this though, should I put in some parts in his POV for the war? I hope you liked this update, and about the oneshot, just let me know what rating, smutt or not, and the pairing. **

**Narutogirl13: I ended up using a version of your brothers name for Kairi's sisters name. Hope he doesn't mind. =^.^= And I'm just gonna head to try out your story. The whole thing isn't in German, is it?**

**Sincerely,**

**Drunken Chipmunks.**


	17. Gaurdian angel vs gaurdian demon

**A/N: Today was certainly entertaining. I got beaten at by a counselor, knife searched because of a rumor, and drew some cool pictures for my deviant art.**

**By the way, if you want to see my drawing look at my gallery on:**

**Gaurdiandemon666 [dot] deviantart [dot] com.**

**I hope you like it if you do check it out!**

**That last chapter was incredibly long, and I don't know If I can live up to these standards... but I shall try!**

**Anywho, this short bit about Kairi.**

**Favorite drinks: Chocolate milk and eggnogg**

**Favorite food: ramen, spaghetti and bananas**

**Favorite color: red, black, green and silver. (Duh... but the silver is interesting)**

**Weapon of choice: Senbon**

**Candy of choice: Milky Way**

**Favorite musicians: My chemical romance and the Clash**

**Favorite vegetable: carrot**

**Utensil of choice: Wooden spoon**

**Hair color of choice: black with green highlights**

**Favorite time of day: midnight, when everything is asleep and cold.**

**Birthday: December 25th, 1995**

**Chapter Seventeen:**

**Gaurdian angel vs. Gaurdian demon**

Kairi groaned, rolling onto her side, only to hit sand. She blinked, clearing the haze from her vision and looked around.

She was in a hospital room, Gaara had probably moved her using his sand. She lay partially suspended over the floor by a soft sheet of sand that lifted her onto her bed again. She looked over to the corner to see Temari asleep in a chair, Naruto, Sakura, and a Hyuuga girl, probably Hinata, asleep as well. Gaara stood beside the bed.

"You're awake." He whispered.

Kairi grinned.

"I know what the locket is. How long was I out?"

"You do? Do you know who sent it?" His voice was eager and tense. He was worried about her. Kairi mentally slapped herself. She should've asked her brother that. Or the know-it-all angel.

"No... but, seriously, how long was I asleep?"

"Two weeks."

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi gaped. She took deep breaths, calming herself so that she could think and speak correctly.

"I... so what did I miss?"

"Hinata Hyuuga checking the necklace and the aura around you. Sakura making sure you were healthy to the best of her abilities, Naruto and countless panic attacks... he even went so far as to attack me. With the Kyuubi. Kakashi calmed him down. The village is calm, Kankuro sent word." Gaara looked away for a split second. "He's reach the camp in The Land of Waves."

"Ugh. Nng..." A voice groaned. Kairi looked over Gaara's shoulder to see Naruto stretching. He looked at Gaara. "How is she...?" He whispered, voice soft with sadness and fear. Kairi grinned.

"Why don't you ask me, huh?" She teased. Naruto started, looking around wildly, only to see Kairi. Releif and excitement crossed his features.

"KAIRI-CHAN!!" He exclaimed, running to attempt to dive on her. The sand stopped him. He slid to the floor, sheepish and dissapointed. Kairi sighed, pulling her knees to her chest.

"You can't touch her."

"WHY NOT?!!" Naruto argued.

"Because if you do, it may knock you and her out again. Temari was out for a full week." Kairi went rigid, and Gaara seemed to realize he shouldn't have said that.

"I... I hurt Temari....?"

"No," Said woman said with a smirk. "But I have to say, that was the most peaceful beauty sleep I've had in a long time." Kairi smiled faintly.

"Kazekage-samma? Temari-chan? Kashiko, Gaki, Zero, Zakufu and Maki are here to... Kairi-chan! You're awake!" Kairi looked at the door to see Koneko standing there, and the Hyuuga girl and Sakura sitting up in their seats. Temari stood up sauntering over to her boyfriend. She kissed him lightly, and pulled back.

"Yep. Let the kiddos in and I need your help."

Kairi rolled her eyes as, with a quick good-wishing and farewell, Temari and Koneko exited the classroom. The kids came running in, but a wall of sand made them halt, and Maki was trembling behind Kashiko and Zakufu.

"Don't worry Maki. You guys just can't touch me, though. I don't want to hurt you." The kids nodded sadly.

"What happened?" Maki asked softly, reorienting herself. Kairi smiled sadly, and glanced at Gaara. He shook his head. She couldn't tell them.

"I got sick, and slept for a long time. That's all."

"You're lying." Kashiko stated bluntly. Kairi flinched. No one, and she was dead serious by this, besides her brother, had ever caught her for lying before. And now a... a kid was catching her. That unconciousness must have affected her brain.

"How old are you guys?"

"We're all seven, but Zakufu, he's six," Maki answered. She always seemed to know everything. Kairi nodded.

"Now you guys shoo, I gotta talk to Kazekage-samma, 'kay?" The sighed sadly, protested in grumbles, but left anyways.

"So what happened while I was asleep...?" Kairi asked. Just as Naruto was about to answer, two ANBU poofed in. One was a Konoha ANBU, considering the uniform... and the hair. Kakashi took off his mask and sat down. The other ANBU whispered in Gaara's ear. Gaara nodded.

"Kairi, the ANBU have done everything to track the letters, but those who touched the packaging can't remember it. Nothing. S-level... poisoning. No genjutsu. It's poison."

Kairi nodded slowly, upset and bothered by this... but also thankful. If they had found the person, most likely man, while she was asleep, they would have probably killed him.

"Gaara... The necklace is a protection charm made to repel anything with any remote lifespan from me... it's a gift..."

"She has a point. From the way the notes are phrased,"Kakashi began.

"Wait. Pause, Sherlock... Note-_s_, as in _plural_?" Kairi growled.

Kakashi nodded.

"How come nobody told me?!!"

"You've been concious all of ten, fifteen minutes, Kairi-chan," Gaara reminded her. Kairi grinned, and Gaara seemed unbeknowst of the looks the other gave him for the honoriffic.

"I knew that... I'm just moody... Monthly torture, y'know?"

"Isn't it monthly... gift, Kairi-san?" Gaara asked akwardly. Kairi grimaced. It was sweet while it lasted.

"The gift part is sarcastic. No woman thinks of it as a blessing of any sort," Temari grumbled. Whoo, Kairi wasn't the only one!

"As I was saying," Kakashi mumbled, grinning widely underneath his mask. "The letters seem to come from a war hero, a ninja, a soldier, or some type of battling figure that knows Kairi. The way he sends them is close to the old style that Samurai, before the hidden villages existed, would send secret haikus to the girl they loved, one for each kill, or one a week, to proclaim infatuation with them... if they came back from the war alive, they proposed to the girl, and there is no time documented in history that any girl refused. By that time both were madly in love, and the girl of the mans choice had kept him alive during the war. They litterally needed eachother." Kairi blinked.

"Wow... I really need my history checked up on..." Kairi knew nothign about any history, besides the light bits she had collected in the past month.... TWO months... It was a strange feeling, it made her feel empty, incomplete. She shrugged off the feeling for another day.

Gaara gave Kakashi a look of solid respect, which made the ANBU shinobi hesitate, and several others look away, as if it was something intimate and not meant to be seen.

The look vanished within a second and Gaara gave a cold nod to his senior.

"That makes sense. It looks like we currently can't do anything about it, but... Hinata, can you check the necklace again?" Hinata nodded shyly, and activated her Byakuugan... Kairi shivered, and looked away. She felt... violated. Hinata deactivated her eyes and sat back down, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Kairi shook her head, holding up her hand.

"Don't apologize."

Hinata nodded, giving a light smile. Naruto got to his feet, and stood infront of Gaara.

"Where's Kankuro?" He asked. Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"Where you are supposed to be right now. At war."

Naruto nodded.

"I think Kairi should see the other notes." Gaara nodded, and dug them from his pocket. Kairi took them. Each note was written in the same scrolling, neat handwriting and on the same type of paper. They were each signed 'Farewell, goddess'. He even knew where her name had origined from. Kairi suddenly remembered one of the memories her brother had shared with her.

_Kairi was swimming in the lake of dreams, floating on her back as she listened to her brother._

_"Nii-chan...?" Kairi started._

_"Yes, Kassandra?" He asked, his voice that soothing polite tune, as usual._

_"Do you know what my name means?"_

_He nodded._

_"Can you tell me?"_

_He smiled faintly. "In the old fairytales of Greek I used to read to you, there was one. It was your favorite. A fourteen year old greek goddess who could see the future. Her name was Kassandra. She had flowing crimson hair and bright green eyes and hid from the other Gods and Goddesses. She would always die at the ends of the stories, trying to stop the future she could see, but not prevent."_

_"Was she beautiful...?" Kairi asked in a whisper, her voice childish and vulnerable. She had to know. Her brother chuckled._

_"You asked that all the time when you were little... you'd sit there, once I showed you the picture, saying 'pwetty' over and over. It was so adorable... but yes, she was very, very beautiful. Just like you are._

Kairi cleared her thoughts, storing away the memory of that particular dream for a later time and read the first note.

_Kassandra._

_-Travel long and far,_

_Marching day and night to war,_

_Pray and cry for me.-_

_Farewell, Goddess._

"Well that's romantic," Kairi remarked sarcastically. The rest of the room was quiet while she read.

"What is?" Sakura asked. "Only Gaara and Naruto and the ANBU were aloud to read it."

"I was being sarcastic. He told me to cry for him."

"But that is romantic."

"Exactly." Sakura looked at her puzzled, but Kairi looked at the other note, giving the first back to Gaara.

_Kassandra_

_-Marching far and wide,_

_Praying to the gods for you,_

_Candy in my eye.-_

_Farewell, Goddess._

Kairi handed it to Gaara. She furrowed her brows. How did this man know...? How did this man know all these things?

**X.x.X.x.X**

The letters came once a week. Two months later, after Naruto had been sent to war, Koneko and Temari were going good, and Kairi's training was going as good as it could with the locket there. She had mastered Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu. Water substitution jutsu, and she was getting incredibly skilled with Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu. Fire style: fireball jutsu. But since it was her opposite element, she had alot of difficulty with it, considering she had been trying to master it for three and a half months now..

She took the last note that he had sent her.

_Kassandra_

_-Remember well, love,_

_I will be your protector,_

_Gaurdian angel.-_

_Gaurdian demons are demons._

_Farewell, Goddess._

Kairi was terrified by this one and also... enchanted. Gaara was furious, getting the notion that the writer meant him, which everyone else did as well. She didn't dare tell them that he meant her brother... or so it seemed.

Kankuro had stopped sending updates to Suna. Kairi was getting frantic, torn to pieces with worry. Hinata had practically become a tail, and all the other Konoha nin had left for other missions. Her and the older woman were akward, to say the least.

Maki and Kashiko and the others were close, and it seemed that Zakufu and Maki were practically brother and sister. The bond looked unbreakable.

Things were going strangely... steady. But it was quite weird. For one, the necklace prevented her from touching anything living. She had knocked out a house cat the other day, and herself, for five minutes. Hinata nearly had a heartattack, and Gaara was shouting out emergency orders to around ten ANBU.

_Kairi blinked drearily up, trying to regain her sense. Gaara leaned over her, eyes sparkling with unbridled anger. He met her eyes, locking gazes._

_"I'm going to kill whoever did this to you," he whispered, voice harsh, and promising pain. Kairi had shivered, and done nothing but nod._

Kairi groaned. She was laying in her bed, Hinata out in the hall requesting a gaurd to go fetch them some tea. Kairi was spending her afternoon in the room, looking at her starcharts. Since Hinata had come, she hadn't been aloud to spend any nights up on the roof, unless she snuck away, and when she did, Gaara or Shukaku was up there. They would talk for a few minutes before they sent her back to her room for some sleep.

At almost every turn, Gaara seemed to be there now. It was clear he was worried, but Kairi just couldn't bring herself to believe it was about her.

Suddenly, Temari burst through the door, sand swirling behind her with Gaara only a few inches away. Gaara looked worse for wear, tired and worried, which was very unlike him, and Temari looked downright terrified. Hinata saw their faces and left the room quickly, shutting the door behind her with no sound. Damn, that girl is good.

Temari had tears running down her cheeks, and she was sobbing as she collapsed onto the floor.

Gaara turned around, not facing them, but Kairi would swear she saw a wet spot hit the floor in front of him.

What was so horrible that it could make Gaara of all people cry?

Temari sobbed brokenly, choking on air and tears and let out a bone-chilling, gut-wrenching wail of pain. Gaara collapsed to his knees, turning around to hold her to his chest, rocking her. Kairi gulped, and spoke, voice terrified of what she would hear.

"What's wrong?" She whispered.

"Kankuro is dead," Gaara said, voice cracking barely on the last syllable. He turned away, not meeting Kairi's eyes as tears overflowed.

**A/N: Not exactly the result you were expecting, was it, huh? Well, that's my job, leave cliffhangers at every chapter and do freakish twists and turns. Gaara's gaining some more humanity... it's nice. I like him cold and in love, at the same time. Though, realistically, it will get to a strange point in his and Kairi's relationship later. **

**Narutogirl****3****: I hope you liked this chapter and I'm really sorry about the whole name mix-up... well, the next chapter will be out soon!**

**Cheeky half-demon: Kankuro's POV next! Yeah! And also some more dreams... spooky! Well, I hope this chapter was up to standard. The last one seemed a little... odd... to me, but yeah, that happens. I'll work on your one-shot as soon as I possibly can, but it may take a while. One-shots take me forever. **

**Ninja-hidden-in-the-paddock: thanks for reviewing again, I missed your feedback. I'm glad you liked that chapter. Hope you like this one. And yep, a fortnight, what could've happened? Well, you're about to find out...**


	18. Fresh Blood

**A/N: This chapter may get a little confusing, so I'm going to tell you the format. Regular text will be Kankuro's point of view, Italics will be letters, and bold will be dreams. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Eighteen:**

**Fresh blood**

I left Sunagakure, my supplies within Crow, strapped onto my back. It would take two weeks to travel to the Land of Waves with my squad. Sometime around sundown, a jounin looked over at me, my platoon leader.

"We'll set up camp here, I need you to go collect wood." I nodded and sprinted off to do my duties.

I wonder how Kairi is doing. My chest suddenly ached with the thought of her, and my head spun. I fought it away, pushing thoughts of her and my family into the back of my head. That girl brought a new level to Home Sickness.

After I had collected my wood, I returned to camp and set up the fire. My tent had been set up for me by a fellow chunin, and I quickly took refuge. I crawled into the warmth of my sleeping back, dreading the battles to come as I fell asleep.

_"Protect my lady sister,"_ a voice whispered in my dreams. I knew that voice, it was almost the same as Kairi's... but male...

I yawned and collapsed into a dreamless state.

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Kairi, it's Lee. You didn't reply to my last letter, but before Sakura left, she told me something had happened to you. I hope you're allright. Why do you need a Hyuuga? Are you sick?_

_Anyways, I proposed to Sakura a few hours before she got the emergency notice... she said yes!_

_I'm going to be married! And also... I'm going to be a father! It's a little unplanned and, well, unpresidented... but she's going to have a baby! A baby! So take good care of her, mind you._

_Filled with youth, Rock Lee_

**X.x.X.x.X**

**Kairi sat on the bank beside the Crystal Lake. She opened her eyes, gazing around. A large bird-like creature flew into the sky, silver feathers burning with blue fire. It shot right in front of the waterfall and dove in. It was beautiful as it **_**flew**_** inside the water, and burst out of the lake, spraying steam and ice droplets around its body. Its flame was both cold and hot as it flew back into the fog, dissapearing.**

**"That's a thunderbird. Beautiful, isn't it?," her brothers voice said from beside her. He sat farther away, considering her ice had formed a larger radius. "You know, if this ice continues to grow, it will kill everything in the plane of existance." Kairi dropped her eyes to the ground. She had considered that before, but how could she stop it?**

**"How can I stop it...?" She asked softly, a tear falling down her cheek only to evaporate on her skin, and then freeze in the air.**

**"Master it. Don't tell yourself you're so alone... control it. It is your element, after all." Kairi nodded.**

**"But how do I do that?"**

**"How do you learn a jutsu?"**

**"With... practise?" He nodded. Kairi got to her feet, but a thougt struck her.**

**"What element is my sister?"**

**"She... she was ice."**

**"Then her sword was resistant to her element, wasn't it?"**

**"Kassandra... I know what you are thinking, and you can't. It'll destroy this part of the forest, because that sword encases your sisters soul... and her soul feeds the water." Kairi nodded. She understood, but got to her feet. She took off her yukata, taking off some skin as well. She yelped, and her brother got to his feet.**

**"Those wounds will be there in your world," he warned. Kairi nodded. She would have guessed, otherwise it shouldn't have hurt so much. Her brother's ears twitched. Apparently he didn't like the idea of her knowingly injuring herself.**

**Kairi shook it off, ignoring the stinging, eating pain, and stripped from the underwear beneath the yukata. Her brother didn't exactly watch, but he didn't look away. It wasn't violating, and Kairi didn't mind.**

**She then dove straight into the water, and it was hot. Boiling hot. Kairi hissed with pain, but her ice quickly formed a liquid shield. The heat kept melting it, but it kept restoring itself, forming a constantly changing shield. She swam through the water until she reached land, and pulled herself onto the island. Ignoring her innapropriate attire, or lack there of, she bowed deeply before the sword.**

**"Hello sister."**

_**"Hello."**_

**X.x.X.x.X**

"Send it to the Kazekage manor," Kankuro ordered the messenger. The kid nodded and raced off. Kankuro sighed and jogged to catch back up with his platoon. Suddenly, screams were heard in the small streets of the coastal border. His squad moved into a circle, looking around.

Lightening from a quickly darkening sky hissed above them, striking a building. People screamed.

"Kiro, Jakada, go help them! We'll find the jutsu user!" Kankuro nodded, and switched places with his puppet, then followed his commander out into the side woods.

"Hello," hissed a voice. Kankuro gaped at the being that stood before him, looking through the slits in the bandages that disguised him.

"Orochimaru," His platoon leader growled.

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Hey, Lee, sorry I haven't replied in a bit... it's been hectic._

_I'm allright, I can't really give you all the details, but lets just say I am much safer than I was before._

_Things are wierd between me and Gaara... and Kankuro is at war. _

_He might end up working with Naruto, and he's powerful, so I'm not worried. _

_Do you know if it'll be a girl or a boy? What are some name ideas? How far along?_

_Write back, I'm bored and miss you,_

_Kairi_

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Hey Naruto, it's Kairi._

_Sorry you had to see me like that before you left, but by the time you open this letter, you'll probably be wrapped up in the war. Kankuro will aslo be in the war, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you that... don't they work wars like ANBU missions, so that you don't see or recognize or get to know anybody? I don't know... But me and Kankuro, well, lets just say we weren't nice to eachother before he left, he told me he wasn't afraid to die... that nothing else matters..._

_I feel heartbroken, and I don't really know why... Maybe its because I might lose a friend. I don't really know._

_Ah well, nothing I can do now._

_Me and Gaara are odd... he actually seemes... worried. About me. I don't know what to make of it. It's an akward relationship though, his demon, Shukaku... has 'fantasies' about me.. and lets me know._

_It's genuinely scary._

_I haven't gotten hurt more than training burns and slip-ups... and nearly drowning in my own jutsu... Well, considering the locket didn't hurt me. _

_I passed the genin test easily, but I don't know how well. Gaara just asked me a bunch of questions. _

_I'm currently being trained by Koneko Rapotsu, Temari's boyfriend and the academy instructor. I'm working with a bunch of first-year students... but I am improving. Koneko-sensei used to be an ANBU Root ninja, but he's very compassionate. His scar is a little unnerving, though._

_I hope your training goes well. I probably won't be ready to become a chunin for a few years now. Sorry about Jiriaya, it's gotta be unnerving to think of him as dead. _

_By the way, isn't he an artist...? I think I saw one of his mangas... Maybe, maybe not._

_I did freak out when I saw Lee's letter... I'm not very surprised she said yes, but wow... kids? And I don't know if you were supposed to know that, so don't tell him I told you._

_That resteraunt looks good, and I hope you got to take her to it while you were here with her. A long distant relationship while you're in the war is goig to be hard... but don't worry, I'll watch out for her for you._

_I don't have any phone numbers though, so, sorry._

_Praying for you,_

_Kairi._

_P.S._

_Tell the others I said hi._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_**"You know who I am."**_

**Kairi nodded. "I do. You are my younger sister."**

_**"Being dead makes you feel a lot older. I wouldn't call it younger anymore. I feel more around a thousand years older."**_

**Kairi smiled faintly.**

**"I don't remember you, I never knew you... but I love you."**

_**"I would hope so. May his Majesties wishes be with you... I hope brother watches you carefully. And in ten days' time, take my sword. I will be in the water completely then, my ashes absorbed. It won't kill anything. I promise. And I love you too, Onee-chan."**_

**Kairi smiled, and stood up, and walked away.**

**X.x.X.x.X**

**Kairi relaxed in the water. It was the only place she could be and just... relax, feel like she belonged. Water, ice and steam collected around her.**

**Suddenly, the king Angel started singing again.**

_**"Little tiny angels dance along,**_

_**moving to the heart of our broken song,"**_

_**"Listen closely child,**_

_**and remember well,**_

_**when snow has died,**_

_**all is well,"**_

_**"But the white blooded fox,**_

_**will cry in turn,**_

_**it's only warmth**_

_**dying in the burn,**_

_**of the unknown spring,**_

_**who took her rose,**_

_**but the moon still shines,**_

_**and the child knows,"**_

_**"Listen closely child,**_

_**and remember well,**_

_**when snow has died,**_

_**all is well."**_

**"Why do I get the feeling that the fox and snow is me? Even the element matches."**

**"That's because it is you. This legend was created hundreds of years ago. A childs nursery tale. A being to bond two worlds together and bring peace to the people of the sand," the Angel replied.**

**X.x.X.x.X**

**"Can you tell me your name yet?" Kairi asked.**

**Her brother smiled and walked towards her. The ice shards bit at his skin. Her eyes widened in fear as it tore at his skin. She stepped closer to him, catching him as he fell. His heartbeat was slowing, close to her ears. She collapsed to her knees supporting his weight.**

**"My name is Caelum..." He whispered in her ear before his body dissapeared in a shower of white and red flower petals that froze and fell in a parade of beautiful glass around her. Kairi watched silently, cold, as a sparkling silver glint was in the stars above the world she was in.**

**" 'Stars in heaven'... his name means stars in heaven..." She cried softly, curling up on herself.**

**Who was left for her?**


	19. Attack

**A/N: Hello my good II fans, and I have a regretful decission to make... I will not be bringing Caelum back into the story for a long time, if ever... **

**And I am actually crying over this fact. I think I'm in love with the character...**

**Uh... anywho, this chapter might take a bit to write out, because I'm so tired lately and have some other stuff to write, but I hope you like it anyways. **

**Here is facts about Kairi!**

**Her friends are:**

**Naruto**

**Gaara**

**Kankuro**

**Caelum**

**Sanabar (I hope I wrote that right... I forgot my own characters name, wow....)**

**Lee**

**Sai**

**Gai **

**Kakashi**

**Koneko**

**Maki**

**Kashiko**

**Sakura**

**Temari**

**Chapter Nineteen:**

**Attack**

Suddenly, Temari burst through the door, sand swirling behind her with Gaara only a few inches away. Gaara looked worse for wear, tired and worried, which was very unlike him, and Temari looked downright terrified. Hinata saw their faces and left the room quickly, shutting the door behind her with no sound. Damn, that girl is good.

Temari had tears running down her cheeks, and she was sobbing as she collapsed onto the floor.

Gaara turned around, not facing them, but Kairi would swear she saw a wet spot hit the floor in front of him.

What was so horrible that it could make Gaara of all people cry?

Temari sobbed brokenly, choking on air and tears and let out a bone-chilling, gut-wrenching wail of pain. Gaara collapsed to his knees, turning around to hold her to his chest, rocking her. Kairi gulped, and spoke, voice terrified of what she would hear.

"What's wrong?" She whispered.

"Kankuro is dead," Gaara said, voice cracking barely on the last syllable. He turned away, not meeting Kairi's eyes as tears overflowed.

**X.x.X.x.X**

"H-how...?" Kairi whispered, voice raw with crying and sobbing. Gaara had turned into a statue, ice cold and empty.

Kairi felt empty herself. She felt like she had lost everything close to her. Everything she loved.

Temari sniffled, snuggling farther into her brothers arms, and handed Kairi a letter. It was stamped with the Sunagakure army symbol of the kanji for sand and battle, and also stamped with the Land of Waves village battle crest of a seamonster.

Kairi opened up the letter.

_Dear Sabaku-Kazekage-samma,_

_My name is Jakada Hitasha. I am the Co-Commander of Platoon Scorpion in the Water War, as they are now calling it. We recently suffured a very unfortunate event on the way to the Great Naruto Bridge, and I apologize that you have to find out this way. After suffering an attack from Oto and Kiri shinobi, we found our Commander, and Kankuro, dead in a clearing. His cremated ashes will be sent to you shortly._

_My deepest regrets, apologies and prayers,_

_Hitasha Jakada_

Kairi stared at the letter, eyes tearing up again. Without a second thought, she slammed the paper down on her desktop and jumped to her feet. She sprinted from the room, looking for a place to just... go. She found herself racing out onto the Kazekage grounds and straight towards the garden kept inside the gigantic manors keep.

She found a hiding spot, one where she knew no one would see her and fell to pieces.

Everything was gone.

She'd lost almost everything... She lost her memories, her brother, her sister, her family, her innocence, and now... now her love. A precious man, who was as much a brother in his own right as the one she loved.

Suddenly, screams pierced the glass walls, and she walked out of the gardens gate. Fire was burning on the walls of the Kazekage keep, and the rock had turned to dust and rubble as the ANBU attempted to fight of the assault of... what were those?

Kairi braced herself, reaching for a kunai in her pouch as she watched a Sand ANBU get torn in half. She froze, mouth agape. She knew what those were.

Vampires.

Kairi turned and fled back to the mansion, just as she was racing up the stairs, Gaara appeared beside her, her ninja gear in his arms, him and Temari both ready for the battle.

Kairi nodded.

"I don't want you to fight. You will stay by my side at all times." Gaara orderd. Kairi didn't argue. She knew better than to start a fight at a time like this. When she heard crashes in the hall, she dropped her pride, and stripped down to her underwear before pulling on her clothing. She tied her weapons and her backpack filled with supplies to her back, and found another locket in it. She couldn't open it either. She sighed, figuring it was safe, and slipped it over her neck.

"You can see the pictures inside later," Gaara mumbled. His sand wrapped in a cocoon around him, Kairi and his older sister. It fell away, and they were in the middle of the battlefield. Kairi watched in fear as the sand crushed bodies, and Temari sliced heads off with her fan.

"Oh my god... they're vampires!" Temari exclaimed. Kairi nodded.

"Destroy their heart or their brain. That's the only way to truly kill them. We'll have to burn the bodies later," Kairi recited. She was glad for that vampire book now. Gaara glanced at her and nodded. Once most of the fighting had calmed down, Kairi trying to get a grasp on some sanity, Gaara retreated to the manor. Inside, four war leaders and ten noble family leaders stood in there. ANBU lined the walls outside, above and below.

Kairi fell into a seat, exaughsted. She had had to watch Temari and Gaara's back during the battle, and she was exaughsted and in shock. Suddenly, thoughts sunk in.

She was at war.

She fought not to cry, but a mask moved over her features, one she apparently had finally perfected. It took true torture to put a perfect mask on somebody. Kairi sat in the back of the room.

"Orochimaru is leading them," Kaoko Minoru, the only female with any power in the room hissed out. Kairi watched with even features, hunger eating at her belly. Temari slid to sit beside her, and handed her some onigiri.

"I know. But I never would've guessed he'd lead a battle with sound nin and vampires... there's almost no way we can beat them now."

"We should alert the other villages about this, form treaties if we can," a general suggested. Gaara nodded.

"We've got ground advantage here," Temari spoke up. "We know this land better than Orochimaru and even the Vampires. Not to mention we have a treaty with the City Master Vampire."

"Right. We need a good battle path... First of all, we need to get medics out to the wounded, contact the other villages, and establish forts around the manor. We can try to push them out of the city," Rakazuku Himizu, a noble leader and ex-ANBU Root Platoon Leader said with high authority. It was common fact that everything he said was law. No one, not even the Kazekage disagreed with the Himizu head family.

The Elders walked in then.

"How is the weather? If we're caught in the rain, we're dead," Gaara growled out.

"We aren't expecting the rainy season, or any rainfall whatsoever for atleast a month now. We're in fall, afterall. The prime battle time for us."

"Right. We've got an advantage, here to." Kairi spoke up subtly. Everyone looked at her. "Well... there are only ten vampires known alive... that can even stay concious in the daytime, and most die... in the sunlight... If we can raid their... hideouts, and dispose of the Oto nin and wereanimal gaurds... we can get rid of the majority of the army."

"She's correct." An elder said in mild surprise and distaste. "Who is she? She should be a Platoon leader."

"Iie, Elder-samma. I am barely a genin."

"No, Kairi, he's right," Temari stated. "They can't even come within a foot of you with an attack that is meant to even scratch you. You'd be wonderful, because you know how to deal with these things too."

"Then send her out in the first shipment of the attack on the hideouts," Himizu stated, as if the plan was set. Gaara, suddenly and abruptly slammed his fist on the table.

"No, dammit! I just found out my brother is dead, I am NOT losing any other family. I am Kazekage here, and you WILL listen to me." The room was silent, and Kairi felt her temper spark. She got to her feet, shaking loose Temari's weak attempt to hold her down.

"Damn you, you stuck up selfish, preppy bastard! Your people are going to die, and with this necklace, I can't die! They can't hurt me! I can destroy the enemy all on my own! And you suggest I stay? No. Whether you like it or not, _Gaara-kun_ I AM going." The room seemed to go even more cold and tense at that. Most stared at her in bewilderment. Gaara turned his head away, locking his jaw, fists clenched.

"I'd kill you, but you're right, and my people are my responsibility," he said softly. Kairi grinned childishly.

"Goody. So what do I do?"

**X.x.X.x.X**

Kairi stood in her bedroom in the Kazekage manor. Hinata was down healing the injured while Gaara helped light fire to the battlefield. Almost all of their living soldiers had to be burned, because they would turn vampire, and thus turn on the Village Hidden in the Sand. Kairi had stopped crying over everything a few hours ago as they assesed the battle plan with all of the officials. And Kairi, of course.

She found crying useless, when it wouldn't save lives.

She pulled on her kunoichi dress over the nets. She wrapped the obi-pouch around her waist, and pulled on the armor and gloves. She loaded the pouches with what she would need. Instead of Senbon, she had a stake. A cross was around her neck, on her ankles, and one on a bracelet on each wrists. She thanked Kami that she believed in him, and that the crosses would work. She exchanged her kunai for silver kunai, and loaded up on paper bombs, a summoning scroll, a few weapons scrolls, a food storage scroll, soldier pills, silver shuriken and some caltron and some silver senbon.

She pulled on a mask carved out of bone that covered the lower part of her face, and tied her hair back, and she was ready.

She walked out of the room and met up with her squad. She was leading a squad of the best of the best onto the battlefield with absolutely no experience. Though she wasn't exactly leading it, they all worked together, she was just at the front because no one could kill her. Or so she hoped.

By the time they had reached the front of the mansion, Gaara was waiting for them. He turned around, refusing to even watch them go. Kairi took a deep breath, and head out in the sunlight across the ashen, sandy ground. They had sent scouts out the day before, and they had discovered what they thought were all the hideouts. Konohagakure and Yukigakure nin would be there in a week, but they hoped they could destroy the vampires before then.

**X.x.X.x.X**

They were in the first and largest hideout, a series of inter-connected tunnels beneath the Circus of the Damned. They were heading down a set of tunnels. Wererats had led them in, being very unhappy with the change in leadership.

Apparently Jean-Claude had dissapeared, presumed dead, and that bastard of a snake Orochimaru had placed a vampire called Nicolaos on the throne. That was the only information the rats gave them.

Kairi exited into the definition of a dungeons room and suddenly, they found themselves in a throne room.

**A/N:AHA!! So atlast, the true plot arises, and things from earlier start connecting and making sense! Viola! I hope you guys liked this chapter, and thanks for the reviews guys!**


	20. Capture

**A/N: I'm back from the best thanksgiving ever, and enjoying every minute of my damned life right now... because I am blocking out my past! Yay denial!**

**Kankuro: Gaara, kill her. She's insane.**

**Gaara: No.**

**Thank you, and no, I just had fruit juice. Lots of it. And chocolate milk. Bad mix in more ways than one.**

**Kankuro: *gag* SHES GONNA KILL US ALL!!!**

**Um... sorry about him. Anyways, the stories going a little rougher right now than I want, but I'll attempt to smooth it out.**

**WE HAVE REACHED THE BIG 20!!! THANK YOU ALL MY LOYAL REVIEWERS AND FANS!!!**

**Chapter Twenty:**

**Capture **

They were in the first and largest hideout, a series of inter-connected tunnels beneath the Circus of the Damned. They were heading down a set of tunnels. Wererats had led them in, being very unhappy with the change in leadership.

Apparently Jean-Claude had dissapeared, presumed dead, and that bastard of a snake Orochimaru had placed a vampire called Nicolaos on the throne. That was the only information the rats gave them.

Kairi exited into the definition of a dungeons room and suddenly, they found themselves in a throne room.

**X.x.X.x.X**

She breathed a sigh of relief. The throne room was empty. It only contained chains, blood, and a small dais with a miniscule throne-like chair on it. An ANBU beside her shoved something into her hands, large and bulky, and she looked it over.

It was something she had seen in a memory... something Caelum, She fought away her emotions at the thought of him, staying in kunoichi-mode, something he had called a gun. A shotgun. But it still looked... altered. The ANBU saw her curious inspection and elaborated on his actions of shoving the explosive weapon into her virgin hands.

"It's a shotgun, barrel sawed off and loaded with silver bullets. Vampires-"

"Heal like humans from silver. I know. I'm thankful I'm not the only educated person here." The ANBU nodded, his eyes crinkling from behind his mask in a smile.

"Cock it and pull the trigger. It's got about six rounds. It kicks." Kairi didn't know what he meant by a kick, but nodded anyways. It would be important to know, atleast, how many shots she had. She just hoped she could aim.

She cocked it, and with silver senbon in the other hand, gun braced over her shoulder, her and the company of shinobi and mercenaries skulked into the long stone passageway at the back of the throne room, lit by nothing, so that they had to pull on their night-vision goggles.

Kairi walked in front of them. She hoped the charm would protect her from dead creatures, unholy or not. She wasn't stupid enough to think she would live otherwise... but her fear made her overconfident, hiding itself.

She would make it out. She would live. Just like Gaara had ordered her too. She wouldn't fail.

She wasn't weak.

Kairi took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing in concentration as she scanned their surroundings, alert for anything, aware and alert of all. She slunk forward and they found a room lined with coffins. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"These are the most powerful vampires. Kill them all." An ANBU ordered. Kairi, keeping her face blank, repeatedly told herself she was just sending dead souls to kami. Not killing. Besides, she was a ninja, she couldn't have a problem with anything like that.

She went past the first coffins, the ones decorated and engraved, fancy and unbound, into the back of the cavern where coffins chained and sealed with crosses lay. Prisoners. She opened the first, and looked down into the face of Jean-Claude's first-hand servant. She shut the lid and stepped back. She had met that vampire once when he went to talk to Gaara one night...

He had spent around twenty minutes telling her tales of famous vampires and flirting with her. He was a friend. A face she knew. And no matter what nature said, _he was alive_.

She stumbled backwards, as a sudden sense of dread and despair filled her. A soft, childlike laughter filled the room.

"Stupid little humans," A gentle childs voice said. Kairi turned around to see the body of a seven year old girl dressed in a white nightgown. "You think I am of so little power that I sleep during the day? I am over 1000 thousand years old. I am not restrained by that of my weaker servants." Behind her, two werejaguars, a wererat, a werewolf, and another vampire, _Robert_, behind her. Robert was dragging Phillip, bound by chains. One of the mercenaries that had come drew a gun, as well as another. The vampire laughed.

"Anita Blake, I would have expected more of you than to follow _Suna Gaijin._"

Kairi narrowed her eyes. No one called her sand filth. With a shout, she lunged forward, throwing senbon, and firing the gun. It hit Robert through Phillip's chest, who had lunged in the way.

The small master vampires eyes narrowed and she _flew_ to land in front of Kairi. Who glared hatefully at the girl.

"You are the gaijin here, bloodsucker," Kairi hissed, slamming a kunai into the girl, or so she had hoped. Suddenly, everything went black, and she saw flashes across history.

_"I have taken your mind, and would turn it to putty in my hands and make you my vampiric slave for the rest of your life if Orochimaru didn't want you so much,"_ A terrifying voice spoke in Kairi's mind before she fell unconcious, the last thing she remembered, the cold of cement and a flash of white-hot pain, and the name Nicolaos.

**X.x.X.x.X**

_??? POV_

White.

Not a normal white, a white blaze of light, the ligth of despair. The endless swallowing of all hope and peace, until all that is left is to soak in the hot glare of light, letting it burn.

Suddenly, black specks, hope, happiness, safety, edged into my vision. I fought it away. I had been marked by a devil, cursed by a demon, and haunted by a shadow.

I didn't want anymore.

Everything had come back, all of the memories, brought back through a torture that broke me. I wanted to float in black, bloody waters in the white light of despair for the rest of my days, I didn't want anything else.

Just mercy. The mercy of death, or the comfort of despair, but I knew above all things that that wouldn't happen. Because out of the edge of my current despair lay memories I didn't want to remember. I wanted to forget it all.

I wanted nothing.

I curled in closer to myself, arms around my knees, grime and dirt in places there shouldn't be as I lay in the corner of my cell. Darkness swelled through the room, the stink of decaying bodies all around me. They had chained me by my neck and waist to the corner until they wanted me again. They had taken my weapons and my clothing, leaving me humiliated and bare. Vulnerable. They had locked me around all the dead bodies of my comrades, and tortured me, experimented on me for information.

They had broken me like an unruly blood bay colt.

I laid my head on my scraped knees, my hands throbbing from trying to take off the chains, only to slice them on the barbed wire wrapped around it. My throat was scratched raw with screaming. I expected the screams to be blank, animalistic and hopeless.

Maybe they were hopeless, but they were human. Human screams for help from one person they knew _could_ help them.

Screams for-

Before I could finish the thought, the black overflooded the white and all my memories came back.

**X.x.X.x.X**

_A little girl hid under the bed._

_"You little fucker! I married you and you let this happen?!"_

_"I didn't mean to... I was drunk!" She screamed back at him. The little girl had tears streaming down her cheeks, but her sobs were soundless._

_"So you slept with my best friend?!" The woman hit the ground with a cry. She saw the little girl from the corner of her eye. "Kairi...!" She whispered out, her voice shocked and hoarse. The man leaned down and dragged the crying, but silent, girl out from under the bed by her ankles and held her in the air._

_"Spying, you little bitch?!" He snapped, and slammed a fist into her cheek._

_That's why she didn't bother paying attention._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_An eleven year old girl ran from the bus stop in front of the school, straight to the back courtyard. She huddled up by the tree, knees in her chest, rain pelting her as she was able to cry without any one seeing. Suddenly, feet appeared walking towards her. She followed them up to a pair of bright cerulean eyes._

_"Kairi? Are you allright?" Shika asked._

_"H-How do you know my name...?" Kairi whimpered. The boy crouched in front of her, brushing his wet hair from his face._

_"Because you're my friend."_

_That's why she didn't believe in heros._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_A child lay on the large king-sized bed, chained to the post by the ankle and only covered by the black and crimson silks._

_A tall man sat up from under the sheets beside her, her father, and with a disgusting smirk, trailed a finger up her side. She whimpered, trying to move away, only for him to grab her hair and yank her back to him. _

_That's why she was afraid of being touched._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_A toddler was flung across the room by a slap. A sickening laugh filled the hall. She struggled to her hands and knees, trying to crawl away, her arm throbbing in pain as it rested at an odd angle. She let out a cry as a foot connected with her rump, proppelling her head first into a wall, and knocking her unconcious._

_That's why she hated being weak._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_A man fell to the ground, a bullet in his head as a little girl stared at her father, holding the smoking gun. The man turned around and pointed it at her._

_"You speak a word of this and, _bang._" he said, jerking the gun threateningly. She nodded, and fled before the tears could break through._

_That's why she fought._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_A teenage boy pinned his girlfriend to the wall, taking her lips in his. He forced her to him, and she struggled._

_She had let her father do this to her, she wouldn't let the boy she thought she had loved. The boy who had taken her in crying and in pain after her first love had died._

_That's why she only played with hearts._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_A ten year old boy smiled down at her. He continued to bandage her arm, humming a soft lullaby to her as she sighed in relief, only to wince in pain as he applied the antiseptic to a cut on her collar bone._

_"Don't worry," he said softly, kissing her forehead in a brotherly action before continuing his work._

_That's why she always worried._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Brown eyes and dark crimson hair rested on pale, gorgeous small features. Her brother was asleep on the couch, a blanket tangled around his feet. He had fallen unconcious the minute he had gotten home._

_That's why she never slept._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Arms enveloped her, safe and warm. She snuggled farther into her brothers arms as she listened to another story about a princess who had saved her kingdom from the evil wizard who had trapped her away for so many years._

_Another fairytale that helped her escape from the harsh reality around her. Another precious moment with her brother._

_That's why she never read fantasy._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_She sat in the lap of a twelve year old boy, smiling lovingly up at him as he read her a story._

_"The white fox had been chased through sun and moon, storm and light, winter and spring, mountain and valley all throughout the land. When his pursuer had finally given up, he found himself in a beautiful land ruled by a single queen, the most beautiful queen in the entire world..."_

_"In fact, she looked just like you."_

_Kairi never let anyone call her beautiful again._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Two young girls were being pushed on swings by a young boy. Kairi and Exene jumped off at the same time, falling to the ground laughing._

_"You need to be careful, you two could have gotten hurt!" Caelum yelled with a laugh. He ran around the swings to them, as they got up._

_"Ca' we get iscweam?" Kairi asked with a toothy grin. Exene nodded un-endingly, jumping up and down in encouragement. The boy couldn't turn them down, and took the last few bills from his wallet to treat the two out to their favorite flavor: strawberry._

_That's why Kairi always had chocolate._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Her brother hugged her, and held her tight, gaurding her with his back to a blow from a man._

_That's why she wasn't weak._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Kairi lay in a rundown, cheep sleeping bag. It was her only bed, the only bed she had had in a while. Kairi hugged herself, and suddenly the rumbling of an engine down the road caused her to jump up in fear and race down the stairs. She slid into the kitchen, the baggy sweater and minishorts with holes and patches and slices and stitches allover them gaurding her small, stocky body, and hurridly worked on preparing the dinner. She stuffed it in the hot oven, and it would be warm in fifteen minutes. She hurried on cleaning up, then. Just as she was in the living room, cleaning up the trash with a bag, a large object came in contact with her ass._

_She jumped, but didn't scream, and fell to her hands and knees. A foot connected with her stomach, sending her tumbling to the side of the room, banging her head painfully against the plaster wall. Her eyes were glazed and empty, as she lay there. She didn't dare move, didn't stare, didn't even think. It was all to risky._

_An hour or so later, since that was all Kairi ever had to was count and work, a motorcycle parked in the driveway, and a college boy in black leathers walked into the room. He set his crimson helmet on the coffee table, and glanced at the girl on the floor. He walked over and helped her sit up. That was when the old, ripped father of there's looked away from the TV and his dinner. He glared._

_"She's fine. I didn't kill her. Leave her." He snapped. The boy, who Kairi now recognized as her older brother, turned around. His angry gaze as hot as his red hair looked._

_"You selfish old bastard, get over yourself!" He barked. Kairi flinched, and he reached back, his hand gripping hers. She clung to the limb, terrified eyes locked on his back, to scared to face her father._

_"Don't use that tone with me, brat."_

_"I'll do whatever I want, but you leave her alone. Just wait until I'm old enough to take custody of her and you'll be rotting in your meat! I'll kill you for hurting her!" He barked. He was referring to what he had come home to last night with that remark. Kairi broke down crying, and her brother turned, cradling her inside his chest. Suddenly, a studded, sharpened belt struck his back, tearing at his shirt. Her brother winced, but protected her._

_He protected her._

_That's why no one would protect her._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Kairi found herself standing in what looked like a toddlers nursery. A tall, beautiful women with long silky copper hair, oceanic eyes, a round, full belly and soft features leaned over the crib. A toddler of three years looked at her. _

_She never knew family._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Kairi saw the toddler being held back by her brother as her mother was raced down the halls of the hospital. _

_That's why she hated healing._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Kairi was sitting in rows of seats in a waiting room beside where a little version of her sat on her brothers lap._

_A doctor came out._

_"I'm sorry... but she died in birth." _

_That's why she didn't want children._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Kairi nodded, and she suddenly felt herself drenched in water, struggling towards the surface, gasping for air, only to swallow water. A disgusting chemical taste filled her throat and she struggled upwards. She broke surface and took in air. She dunked someone beneath the surface, and came back up._

_A hand wrapped around her waist, and yanked her deeper under water. She struggled, and finally, she gave up with trying to reach the surface, and looked at who was holding her down. A young boys features faced hers. It was her best friend, Shika... His curly brown hair, and foresty eyes were drooping._

_Kairi felt a tightening pain in her chest. She felt like she loved this man... and she noticed he looked asleep, and peaceful. His eyes were closed, and his features gentle. He floated underneath the water as her eyes blurred. She swam down towards him, feeling sick to her stomach, but wrapped her arms around him and tried to yank him up. She looked down his body. His legs were jammed in a metal ladder underneath the water. Her eyes widened and she yanked him free, pulling him to the surface. A girl dressed in red and white ran over, and Exene, Kairi's other best friend, wrapped her arms around a frantic Kairi, holding her back._

_The lifegaurd stood up, shaking her head, and told everyone to leave the pool. It was closed. Someone had died._

_Kairi's first love had died._

_That's why she didn't depend._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_Kairi was cornered in an alley, four boys atleast twice her side loomed over her, knives bare in their fists. She ducked past a blow, and punched the leader in the stomach, only to scream as a knife pierced her right calf. She collapsed onto her knees and rolled out of the way of kick. _

_She sent out both her feet towards the groin of an aproaching blonde boy, and he dropped his knife before falling. She caught the blade and stabbed him in the stomach, effectively keeping him down as he wailed in pain._

_Adreniline and rage and fear consumed her as she fought. Almost an hour later, she had barely won, collecting several injuries. Just then, Exene ran down the alley, her phone at her ear._

_"I found her. Call an ambulance." And everything went black._

_That's why she refused help._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_"Nii-chan...?" Kairi started._

_"Yes, Kassandra?" He asked, his voice that soothing polite tune, as usual._

_"Do you know what my name means?"_

_He nodded._

_"Can you tell me?"_

_He smiled faintly. "In the old fairytales of Greek I used to read to you, there was one. It was your favorite. A fourteen year old greek goddess who could see the future. Her name was Kassandra. She had flowing crimson hair and bright green eyes and hid from the other Gods and Goddesses. She would always die at the ends of the stories, trying to stop the future she could see, but not prevent."_

_"Was she beautiful...?" Kairi asked in a whisper, her voice childish and vulnerable. She had to know. Her brother chuckled._

_"You asked that all the time when you were little... you'd sit there, once I showed you the picture, saying 'pwetty' over and over. It was so adorable... but yes, she was very, very beautiful. Just like you are."_

_That's why she always won._

**X.x.X.x.X**

_"Can you tell me your name yet?" Kairi asked._

_Her brother smiled and walked towards her. The ice shards bit at his skin. Her eyes widened in fear as it tore at his skin. She stepped closer to him, catching him as he fell. His heartbeat was slowing, close to her ears. She collapsed to her knees supporting his weight._

_"My name is Caelum..." He whispered in her ear before his body dissapeared in a shower of white and red flower petals that froze and fell in a parade of beautiful glass around her. Kairi watched silently, cold, as a sparkling silver glint was in the stars above the world she was in._

_" 'Stars in heaven'... his name means stars in heaven..." She cried softly, curling up on herself._

_That's why she watched the stars._

**X.x.X.x.X**

I cried. I didn't want to remember them, any of it. It was my past.

I didn't want a past. I wanted none of it. I needed none of it.

I wiped away the tears. They wouldn't help me now, and lay down on my side to sleep and dwell in privacy, or what little I had left, the curse mark on the nape of my neck pulsing in a soothing rythom.

Kami stood before her. She couldn't see him, well, she could, but she couldn't comprehend him, glory filling her minds. Suddenly, it all faded, and a small little boy dressed in kingly robes smiled up at her.

"Is this better? I apologize, none can handle me in true form, but I still try."

She didn't have to ask. She knew it was Kami, there was no debate.

"Now, I am here to give you a choice. You have served up to the purpose I have for you in this world, but you are still between two worlds, and it will kill your soul soon. You'll be less human than those monstrosities Akuma invented, I believe you call them vampires and wereanimals, right?"

Kairi nodded.

"Your choice is simple. You can stay in the land of dead forever with your sisters spirit, for your first." Kairi's eyes widened. "Unfortunately, Caelum... Well, he has been placed in the cycle of the reincarnated. You will see him again, but not for several years if you stay here." Kairi listened for her second choice.

"Your second option is to return to the human world and carryout a life. I can make it slightly better, but not by much." Kairi shook her head. She would never go back to hell.

"Your third choice is to remain here in the world where you have been for quite some time now with your new family."

"They aren't my family." Kairi said on automatic, not even bothered she was being rude to a god. He smiled.

"They may beg to differ, but your wish is your wish. But where do you want to stay? Remember, they all have consequences, child." She brushed off the warning.

"I want to stay in Sunagakure." She decided sternly, immovable. This was her choice.

"So be it. But your consequence is that you lose memory of all other worlds."

And everything went black.

**X.x.X.x.X**

**A/N: Hey guys, so this chapter took a while, and it went mainly into an elaboration of all of her past flashbacks, and a scene with a god. It was a fun chapter, and hard to write, but the next one will be better! I promise!**

**Cheeky half-demon: I hope you liked this chapter, and you shall find out all of your answers next chapter!**


	21. Living Dead

**Chapter Twenty-One:**

**Living Dead**

When Kairi awoke, she found herself chained upright against a wall. Her back was sore, and felt bloodied and scratched from being dragged, but she could care less. The bandaging gave her some cover, a form of relief from her humiliation and vulnerability. Her head felt full and stuffed, which made her eyes constantly droop stupidly and give her a sense of grogginess.

She finally got her eyes open enough, ignoring the part in the back of her mind that said she might have a concusion, and looked around. She was back in the throne room, which was now filled with a council of older vampires, all atleast over a hundred a piece. Robert, in the corner, was rolling around a head, and she looked away, feeling her curse mark pulse with her revulsion, that it was Phillip.

She focused to the center of the now bowing crowd to see Nicolaos standing from her chair, and just by instinct, Kairi raised her chin in defiance. Orochimaru was kneeling before the child vamp, but something was off.

Suddenly, Nicolaos flicked her hand above her, and Orochimaru flew back to hit the wall right underneath Kairi, and he screamed.

Screamed obscenities, curses, threats, animalistic sounds, but he also screamed of pain and hate. With another flick of Nicolaos's wrist, Orochimaru's neck snapped, and the screaming stopped, only to echo with the sound of bone breaking.

Kairi screamed herself, overcome by pain of her cursemark throbbing when the man had died.

She felt herself blacking out again.

**X.x.X.x.X**

When she felt conciousness tug at the edges of sleepy pain, Kairi let her eyes open and look to what had awoken her. A vampire was unhooking her chains. When he heard her groan in exaughstion, he looked up at her and smiled, a genuine, kind smile.

Kairi felt taken aback.

"Who are you...?" She asked on confusion.

"Me name is Collom. Master says to untie you, so I ask's him why, and he says 'cause Sandman wants ya, so I say yes mastah, and rush ta come and untie ya, but he also says to bring ya backs ta tha dungeon so's ya won't be here when the fightin' start's." He said with a smile and look that was equal to that of a puppy seeking affection.

Kairi squeaked when she dropped from the wall. The vampire, Collom, quickly caught her bridal style, only for her to wince in pain and curl into his chest. She felt incredibly weak and beaten, but she was smart enough to know that she probably couldn't walk anyways. He furrowed his brow.

"Master says you be strong and good kunoichi, but nows I sees ya, ya don't looksies strong and good. They musta hurt ya, pretty lady, but mastah did say they did bad things to yas, so I don't be doubtin' tha Master." Kairi just looked into the soft brown cotton of his shirt and allowed him to carry her through the passages.

Finally, they reached her traditional cell, and he set her down in the corner and took off his bag. Kairi didn't protest, in fact, she barely even moved, only when he told her to or something hurt, while he took off her old bandages and cleaned and bandaged all of her wounds. He then helped her slip on a breast band, T-shirt, zip-up sweater, sweatpants, socks, ninja sandels, and her weapons pouch.

"Ya wonts be able ta do much for a while without a propah medicine-man, but I dids me best. Ya probably can't fight eitha but I don't know no kunoichi thats well." Kairi just nodded, not meeting his eyes as she relaxed against the wall.

"So who's your master?" She finally asked.

"Mastah says his name is Jean-Claude, or sos mastah says." Kairi smirked a little, amused by the way the vampire spoke, only to jump and wince as an explosion went off in the distance.

"So what's going on?"

"Mastah says that Witchy Bad-Mouth Woman," Kairi chuckled and Nicolaos's nicname, since she did seem to have a colorful vocabulary when she was angry, "hads all tha music-shinobis and kunoichis killeds. He says that nows's he cans take back our homesies." He seemed positively ecstatic about the idea, and Kairi was inwardly just as glad. It just hurt to much to express it outwardly.

She silently took record of her injuries.

Scrapes across her back, shoulder, neck, calves, thighs and bottom. Cuts across her chest, bruising in to many places to count, internal bleeding right above her kidney, a ruptured stomach, a sprained ankle, bruised bronchial cords, and several shattered ribs. And the most painful, the internal pain between her legs from some of the vampires, and the hole through her ankle that had connected her chain, so that she couldn't escape even if she unlocked it. The bar that went through the bones had to be broken to unlock.

That was going to hurt in the morning, she concluded, before sitting up more when she heard running down the hall.

"She should be in here!" Collom stood up at the sound of the voice.

"Thats be fox-man and medicine-man-girl and sandman!" He said brightly.

"Do you means," She shook her head harshly to fix her grammar, "Naruto, Sakura and Gaara?"

Collom nodded.

She brightened up infinitely, but was too weak to do more than smile widely as Gaara came sliding in, fast and hard enough that he slid into the doorframe, and tumbled inside, his sand keeping him from falling flat on his face. He scrambled up from his knees when he saw her.

"**You worthless fucking bitch,**" Gaara growled. Kairi's eyes widened. "**I told you the locket wouldn't stop the undead! THEY COULD'VE KILLED YOU!!**" He raged, pain in his voice. A stern-looking Naruto and a terrified Sakura watched as the Shukaku merged with Gaara's spirit before he raced forward. Naruto and Collom sprang into action, subduing the jinchuuriki. Gaara narrowed his eyes.

"May I hug her or is that to dangerous?"

"Yes's thats a too dangerous, buts we thoughts ya were gonna tear her up more," Collom said in apology before pulling back. Naruto did as well. Without another thought, Gaara surged forward, to his knees in front of Kairi.

"Leave us alone, please." Kairi said softly, sensing there was something Gaara wanted to talk about privately, or atleast something she wanted to talk about privately.

Naruto started to protest, but Sakura dragged him out, and with a nod from Gaara, Collom left as well.

The second they were alone, Gaara breathed a sigh of relief, and his shoulders relaxed. Kairi turned to meet his eyes wich were filled with pain, conflict, hate, anger, love, lust, and so many other things they still can't put into words. She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding as she felt a sob build in her chest.

Kairi knew that she had once had a brother which had died. She knew she once had a little sister that had also died. She knew her father had died two years ago in a murder, and that her mother had died giving birth to her younger sister. She knew she used to live in a small town in the Land of Lightning. She knew she had grown up reading and writing and drawing and playing games and taking care of her family. She knew that she had dreamed of being a ninja.

And to add to her list of the things she knew, she knew she loved Gaara.

What she didn't know was that her memory up until she met Gaara, Temari and Kankuro, had been altered and in some areas erased.

Gaara hesitantly lifted a hand, his features questioning. She cupped his hand in the palm of hers and held it against her unmarred cheek. His thumb carressed the dirty skin, and she closed her eyes, subconciously leaning forward.

Gaara watched her in a childish sort of awe, and before he could convince himself out of it, he leant down and met her lips with his. Her lips were soft, warm, slightly chapped from her few weeks in this hellhole, but he didn't care. He kissed her chastely, his hand as gentle as his lips, trying to tell her just how precious she was in that one kiss. She pulled back, eyes wide, breath rigid and body shaking.

Gaara averted his eyes. He knew it. She was afraid of him.

"Wow... That was some... some first kiss..." She panted. Gaara furrowed his brow in confusion and turned to face her. She grinned impishly.

"I'm sure I wasn't that good. Can I try again?" Gaara blushed, and before he could object, she leaned forward, eyes watching him for his reaction as she pressed her lips against his, and rested her hands on his shoulders, moving slowly, watching to see if she did it right. She prided herself when his eyes closed and she could feel his body warm beneath her, and the sand against her hands tingle against her skin.

She pulled back, taking in air, and smiled.

"I... did not... mean to call... you a... bitch." Kairi giggled, and leaned back in. This time, Gaara pressed her against the wall, hands on either side of her head. Just as his lips hovered over hers, breath hot and heavy against her skin, they heard shouts, and then a sudden curse as someones shadow fell over them.

Gaara pulled away, and heard another strain of curses, an intelligible shout from Gaara, still unable to tell who was in the doorway.

And suddenly, the name her brain had been trying to block out, reached at her senses.

"Kankuro!" Gaara's voice was filled with relief as he stood. Kairi felt her breathing hasten.

"What the fuckin' hell Gaara?!! We're out here fighting a war while you pin an injured girl to the floor?!!" Kankuro's face contorted with a familiar emotion to both Gaara and Kairi. Jealousy.

Kairi felt tears well in her eyes. It was all to much. Suddenly, the curse mark on the back of her neck pulsed, and Gaara and Kankuro, and the people outside of the room gave quick shouts of pain. The lockets around her neck pulsed, and they all fell to their knees, shouting in pain, before collapsing.

Kairi stared in fear at the unconcious bodies, when Collom walked in.

"Don'ts ya worries. Theys just sleepy-bys." He said cheerily. Kairi nodded, closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead against the coming headache, only to fall onto her side as a sudden shock of pain ran through her body.

Kairi screamed in pain.

**A/N: I know you all probably hate me because I left such a horrible cliffhanger here with all of these questions, but I'm telling you all now, the second arc of this story is coming to a close! No more than two or three chapters left! Then it's on to the third arc!**

**And I apologize, the book Guide to Kairi has been put on hiatus since I can't upload my graphs yet, and my website got crashed and hacked so that all of my codes and pics are gone... yeah, I'm pissed about that.**

**I'm also sick, and my birthday is in ten days, I'll be officially thirteen then, and I have my first artists job. My biological father, Kirk, is paying me fifty dollars to design a T-shirt for his buisiness, and about twenty for a buisiness logo, both of which are still in progress.**

**I'll show you a link to the deviantart uploads to them when they're finished!**

**Kitty: Hope this came up to standards!**

**Cheeky half-demon: No, her memories were just... altered. Well, any questions about this confusing-as-hell chapter and let me know. Here's your update, just for you!**

**ALSO, IMPORTANT MESSAGE EVERYONE!!!**

**Should there be a lemon later on? **

**Hmmm...???**


	22. Pain

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

**Pain or Past?**

The pain came in jolting seizures, there in a scalding, white-hot pain, gone as if it had never happened, her skin tingling at the memory as Collom held her shivvering body down.

"Holy shit," Collom exclaimed, all traces of his accent gone in his fear, as he stared in horror down at Kairi. Her curse mark burned like no other, a tearing feeling spreading through her body. "What are those... marks?"

Kairi's body was covered in a spreading red-glowing black marks, shaped like different sized bubbles of some sort. They boiled like hot lava, tearing thorugh her flesh, leaving it bleeding and raw to show where the marks had just been, only to heal, and then be marked again. A continuous cycle. Her body was slowly changing as well, her hair being burned shorter until it fell in a black boyish cut like Naruto's. Her canines were lengthening, the bones litterally ripping themselves farther out of her mouth, and fire burning them to a shape, and they grew back to fast for comfort, until they rested over her lower lips, cutting them as she tried to fruitlessly suppress her screams of pain. Her body shook lightly now in tremors, no longer seizing, though Kairi writhed at the pain. Ice pulled itself from her skin, as hard as rock, but colder, much colder. Dry ice. Collom stepped back, because immortal or not, Vampires still felt pain. He would need blood to heal the _holy burns_ that littered his chest and arms.

Her spine was lined with the sharp daggers, each connected to a vertibrae, mashing against her discs, ripping them farther apart. Her joints bled where the ice pulled itself free. At the base of her spine, where it met her tailbone, a long stream of a misty, liquid ice pooled out. It had a shape, but at the same time, it didn't.

Somewhere, in te back of her mind, Kairi wished, no, _prayed,_ for mercy. Whether it be Death or not, she didn't care. It hurt, more than anything else her entire life. Because, since this was a part of her, not even the pain would put her into a state of unconciousness.

_"J-Just... st-stop-p..." _She gasped out, voice raw from screaming. The others were starting to come back into conciousness, and Kairi had a feeling that the fighting was heading this way. Suddenly, as if by some unspoken command, which was most likely the correct explanation, it all stopped. Collom looked at her in fear and admiration. He bowed down deeply to her.

"Oni-hime," he whispered reverently. Kairi looked down at her body. It was all gone, as if it had never happened. She silently hoped it had never happened.

"Get back on your feet. I'm no royalty, just a cursed bitchy kid," Kairi hissed out in anger at herself more than the vampire. He nodded, sitting up straight, just as Gaara bolted upright, looking around in fear, his sand swirling dangerously around him.

"WHERE IS THAT BASTARD?!!" He roared, rage evident in his voice, Shukaku's voice lacing his. It was clear that murder was on the front of his mind, and directed soly towards Kankuro. Kairi knew she wasn't jumping to conclusions when she feared for her friends life.

Kairi couldn't move though. Her entire body ached with pain. Suddenly, something clattered to the ground, and everyone turned to face the door, Kairi just laying limp on the stone ground, turning her head to see.

There in the doorway stood a girl with brownish hair, dipped in purple. She wore tight stretchable leather jeans, a Konoha headband around her waist, and a T-shirt for the band MCR. She had dropped some sort of gun.

"Holy fuckin' shit. Kairi?!!" The girl exclaimed. Kairi nodded slowly, watching the girl in confusion... she recognized her... but only from the strange, dark dreams she had had while in this terrible place...

"Who are you?" Gaara's raspy voice asked exactly what Kairi was thinking for her. She silently thanked him, not wanting to offend the girl, though also aware Gaara might do more than offend her. He might draw blood, or kill the poor girl.

"I'm Exene of course, unfortunately not at your service, Kazekage-samma... although, I must say, the anime really did mess up your hair. And your makeup, Kankuro." The latter boy had propped himself up against a stone wall, trying to cure himself of a migraine. Now, the pain Kairi had just felt, felt just like... well, a very bad nightmare, though she knew it was real. It seemed to be her common curse. Her dreams came true. She silently wondered why she couldn't dream of unicorns that ate butterflies and pooped rainbows.

"Wait... anime.... Kairi said something... about that when... we first met her...." Kankuro moaned out. Clearly he didn't get headaches that often. Kairi considered them music turned up to loud, and shoved them into the back of her mind.

"Well, of course she did. We're both from America. Earth... Jesus, the Naruto world is violent... but... um, Gaara, has she told you anything about something called 'fanfiction' yet?" Gaara shook his head. "You should ask. She wrote a lot of it. Including some yaoi." Gaara looked confused.

**(A/N: Quick note about yaoi. According to my japanese friend/teacher, yaoi is also the katakana word for the hebrew word for 'God'. When talking guy on guy, it's shonen-ai, and girl on girl is shoujo-ai. Directly translated, boy love or girl love. Kapeesh? No ojjikay.)**

"Why?" He asked simply. Exene just smiled.

Kairi looked up at the girl in confusion.

"What the hell do you mean 'America' and 'World of Naruto'? I came from the Land of Lightning! I lived under a friggin' Fuedal Lord who kept wolves for pets!" Exene's eyes widened, as did everyone elses, because none of them had heard this story before. Collom looked confused.

"Thats's wierd. Shes a lyin' but shes don'ts knowsis yet."

"How can she not know she's lying?"

"Because she made a deal with a devil. With Kami himself."

Naruto looked outraged.

"Kami is our God! Not that filthy beast Akuma!"

Exene scoffed. "Idiot, Akuma and Kami are the same. They are yin and yang, two halves of a whole, litterally. Like Gaara and Shukaku. Good cannot exist in any being without evil there somewhere. Kami is the perfect balance. He does good, but his rules are simple, because even God's have rules. Each choice comes with a sacrifice, a consequence, of more value than what was recieved. He offered Kairi a choice, as he did to me. I told him to go fuck some other whore, she thought he was God of all things good, and didn't think of option C."

Kairi just stared at the woman like she was crazy. Exene sighed in exasperation.

"If I was lying, how would I know that your older brother died a still-birth. Your mother died giving birth to your little sister, who died as well. Your father was murdered two years ago, by some freakish creature. Before you came here, you dreamed of being a ninja, liked big dogs with big feet, and small cats that are older than you, and your dad abused you. You like milk, specifically chocolate milk, and you're a cocky, over-confident, stuck-up bitch."

"Great Kami, Kairi, she got you dead on!" Naruto exclaimed. "Wait.... I suppose I should've told you guys about Exene? Well, um, you see... she's Kakashi-sensei's fiance."

Exene grinned and blushed.

"Um... hate to burst your creepy glowing flowers-and-balloons bubble... but isn't it a little... too quiet?" Kairi asked softly, interrupting them all. Everyone froze, listening hard.

"Everyone get up. Naruto, let Collom carry Sakura (who was still unconcious) to safety back at the manor. Follow him, and escort miss Exene, and Kairi there as well," Gaara ordered immediately. Exene and Naruto and Collom rushed to do as ordered, but Kairi leaned over Gaara, and whispered in his ear.

"Bastard, and unlike you, I mean it. You are so lucky I'm in pain right now. I can-"

Gaara cut her off.

"Naruto, you'll have to carry Kairi, I don't think she can do it on her own. She's in pain."

"I CAN FUCKIN' WALK, STUPID SON OF A BITCH!!!" No one questioned why Gaara continuously let the twelve-year-old threaten him. It was common knowledge. He liked her, she liked him, they just acted like preschoolers about it... and also because she was four years younger than him.

"If you cannot calm down, I will be forced to take my own measures to do so," Gaara threatened, though hollow, it certainly shut up the ranting pre-teen. It was as if they had never kissed, in fact, Kairi had actually forgotten in the pain that swiftly followed, and Gaara thought he had imagined it.

* * *

Kairi ended up being carried on Exene's back, and listened in a half-asleep state as Exene told her stories of her 'homeworld' as she called it. It sounded familiar... and every time she said so, Exene asked her about memories of her 'real home' and Kairi drew up blank. They were all just foggy knowledge...

Two days later, as Kairi's wounds were healed to the fullest extent of a medic ninja, crept by slowly and frustratingly painful. The third night, the others all returned, except Gaara and Kankuro.

"Where are they?!" Kairi asked frantically, worried for their safety. Temari had been brought in earlier with a full-blown concussion and a stomach wound.

"Outside. Kankuro wanted to talk to Gaara. Why?" Naruto asked. Sakura smacked him on the head, and he suddenly understood.

"Shit... I gotta go stop 'em before Kankuro gets hurt...!!" Kairi nodded, and they both raced out to see Kankuro kneeling before his younger brother, talking softly. Gaara's eyes were red, as if he wanted to cry, but he didn't. The minute they saw Kairi and Naruto, Kankuro got back on his feet, hugged his little brother, and walked over to Kairi.

"So did my necklace cause to much trouble? I thought it would have protected you from the undead... but I guess not." Kairi froze.

_"You're the one who gave me this damned necklace?!!"_ Kairi growled out. He blushed, and nodded.

"Um, yeah... Here, why don't you let me take it off, and show you the picture inside.

Kairi grinned, suddenly very excited, and nodded. Since the first initial day of the necklace, it had calmed down enough so that she could touch people and other things, but it still got annoying. And KANKURO was the one who had sent those notes? Really?!

Kairi almost didn't believe it, until the locket came off. Kankuro opened it up, and it played a small genjutsu in the palm of his hand, of the one night he had come home drunk, and asked Kairi to dance with him. He was such a gentleman when he was drunk.

"I had it laced with a careful genjutsu, and sealed all of our previous memories together. It's set to pick up on positive moods from you and me, and will record them for later use as well.

Kairi grinned.

"Does it have that time with the chocolate?" Kankuro blushed and didn't answer. Kairi couldn't resist a laugh.

"So... now that you're hear, care to teach me some basic puppetry? According to that Konoha nin... um... I think his name was Ibiki... anywho, he said that the chunin exams were coming up. He wants Gaara to proctor in one... and he wants me to participate with a small squad."

Kankuro grinned and nodded.

"First though, we need to make you a puppet."

* * *

For the next week, Kairi made prepared to make her 'first' puppet. In truth, she was going to used several of the slaughtered bodies from the war to use for a little army of the first vampire/puppets ever. Kankuro wasn't quite sure if the jutsus would work, but he was willing to try.

The eighth day, as the Konoha nin were preparing to leave with those who would be going to the chunin exams before Suna spent its time rebuilding the city, which it was leaving for the vampires to do, Temari recieved word from the academy that Koneko, and the four little students that Kairi had been training with were allright. But they were the only survivors.

As they left the city, to go to the exams, Kairi watched over her shoulder in awe as all of the bodies were set on fire, vampire and human. No risks would be taken for any other traitors.

* * *

Kairi passed the exams easily, only having to bring out her massacre of puppets once in order to beat this Konoha genin called Konohamaru who kept ranting about beating Naruto. Naruto wouldn't stop rubbing it in her face that she had nearly lost to a kid two years younger than her, who was also a centimeter taller.

She poured her ramen on his head, lucky for her it had cooled.

Once they returned to Sunagakure, they set to work helping the city recover, though they didn't have to worry about any injured. They were all dead. Kairi continued her training, getting more and more time at the library that she had discovered deep in the sealed off basement of the Kazekage manor. Apparently the first Kazekage had liked stars as much as she did, and she spent her nights on the roof, escaping the nightmares of people she didn't know and things she didn't understand.

* * *

**A/N: Telling you all now: THIS ISN'T OVER YET!!!! I just did a big time skip, that's all. The actual end to this arc will be posted next. I've had it written since the beginning of the series.**

**Thanks to my sweet and loyal reviewers. Gaara plushies and cookie jars for you all. Don't ask what I did with the cookies though. They're all mine.**


	23. Insomniatic Insanity: Finale

**Chapter Twenty-Three:**

**Insomniatic Insanity**

**.Finale.**

"Gaara-kun... Can I tell you something?" I asked softly, very uncharacteristically from my perch standing on the roof, my arms held out for balance as I walked along the edge, never slipping, but always ready to fall off and let the ground finish me off. He merely nodded, not looking at me, but I fought back the hurt.

"I don't know how to say it, Gaara-kun... You understand more than everyone else what it's like to not be able to share ones feelings..."

"Unfortunately."

"And what do you do when you feel emotions?"

"I don't."

"Everyone does, even you." I stopped to look him in the eye, and he sighed.

"I only feel anger."

"Then you can sympathize with me."

"How?"

"Well... Being female, I feel several emotions, but they always... change." I was careful about how I chose my words, wanting to word it right.

"To what?"

"Anger." I said softly as I began my walk again, but this time he watched me with a wary eye.

"Allright. Is that all?"

"No... I don't like trusting people... I don't like people... But I _feel_ I can trust you, but that just makes me angry."

"Then why are you talking to me?"

"Because I'm tired of feeling angry."

"What do you want to feel, then?" He was starting to sound like a psychiatrist, but it was just honest, childish curiosity. Emotions still fascinated Gaara. Something he rarely had the gift of, other than anger and pain.

"I... I want to feel nothing, but the closest thing to that is fear... But 'that is' just turning into anger."

"What do you mean 'that is'?"

"I mean that I'm afraid, Gaara-kun." He could here the pain in my voice, and his sand slowly guided my face to meet his. And for the first time in four years, since I had heard that Kankuro was alive, he saw tears well in my eyes.

"Why?" And his voice was concerned, softer than I had ever heard it. I walked towards him, but I couldn't take the weight on my shoulders, and I collapsed to my knees. I bowed my head forward, digging my nails into the roof as my hair hid my eyes, the pain of the blood welling under my hands knees brought me back down to reality.

"Because I want to cry... And I can't... Because, something's wrong..." When I didn't continue or even move, except for a tear dripping onto the roof, he kneeled in front of me, and used one of his soft fingers to lift my face up to his.

He searched my empty eyes, and I think what he saw, the cold, dark emptyness, scared him.

"What?" He asked, clenching his jaw as his eyes peirced my burning soul, and he flinched. Even his eyes weren't as empty as hers were that moment, nothing could ever be that empty... nothing _**should**_ be that empty.

"I get confused... I don't remember much of my past-"

"No. You do, you told Kankuro a bunch of stories the other day and you've been writing them down in your journal!" He argued. I shook my head.

"I made all of those up, based on the small things I remember about my world, and the things Exene would talk about... But Gaara-kun, I'm doing things... I blank out, and when I 'come back', people are dead.. not really, but I seem them. The blood. The bodies. The snakes. The darkness... I don't have a demon to blame it on, Gaara-kun... But somethings talking to me, it won't leave me alone... And it scares me..."

I gripped my head and curled up over my knees in front of a scared Gaara, something no one should ever see, because it's just wrong.

Gaara can't be scared.

But neither can I.

He bit his lip out of worry, and pulled me too his chest.

"I... I don't know what it is... but what can I do, Kai-chan? What can I do to make it stop? What was the point in telling me?'

"Because I want to cry." And I let it take over, all the pain, fear, anger, until I was clutching his chest and sobbing lightly, but no tears came, and that thought finally made one trickle down my cheek. Gaara wiped it away, and I cried harder. He let me, he held me.

**X.x.X.x.X**

"G-Gaara-kun...?"

"Yes, Kai-chan?" He asked softly, as we watched the sunrise. I had cried in his arms for three hours, and he held me the entire time, letting me. Because it was what I needed.

"Promise me something."

"Anything."

"Promise me two things."

"Allright."

"One) if I go crazy... hold me... let me cry... but promise to help me get through it?" He bit his lip.

"You aren't crazy."

"But I might be going insane."

"No, you aren't."

"Gaara-kun... just promise me. I need you too."

"Allright. I promise."

"And two) if I hurt one of my friends... I want you to kill me. No one else, you."

"K-Kai-chan... you can't ask me to do that."

"Yes I can, and I am. You're the only one I _can_ ask. Promise me Gaara-kun."

"I can't do that... And you won't hurt any of us. You're stronger than that."

"I'm not so sure, anymore, Gaara-kun... But if I try to get stronger, will you promise me that?"

"I... Allright, I promise."

"I love you Gaara-kun." He looked down in my eyes, searching, and I smiled. I knew he couldn't say it aloud, but I could see it in his eyes, which he put down the walls so I could see, and I was happy.

Because he beleived me.

I wasn't alone.

I was never alone.

* * *

**A/N: I absolutely cannot believe the story is over! I want to cry! Anywho, the sequel will be up soon, but I want votes on its name!**

**Options:**

**1. Silver Lining**

**2. Frozen Sand**

**3. Adversary**

**4. Bring it on**

**5. Bleeding Red Rose Thorns**

**6. Mercy Killing**

**Personally, my fave is Mercy Killing, but I want YOU to decide. Enjoy.**


	24. Note About The Sequel

**A/N: Attention all wonderful readers of Insomniatic Insanity!**

**MERCY KILLING IS UP!!**

**Yes, that is right. The first chapter of the sequel is up! So go check it out, and I hope you enjoy the story as much as you did this one, if not more!**


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